


Golden Girl {Book One}

by xAwkward_Ariesx



Series: Golden [1]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bad Wolf Rose Tyler, Basically what would have happened if Rose had stayed, Episode AU: s03e01 Smith and Jones, Episode Fix-It: s02e13 Doomsday, Episode: s03e01 Smith and Jones, F/M, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, Misunderstandings, Post-Episode AU: s02e13 Doomsday, Post-Episode: s02e13 Doomsday, Romance, Season 3 rewrite with Rose, Season 3 with Rose, Season/Series 03, Series 3 rewrite, Slow Burn, Temporary Character Death, martha is a good friend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2019-09-30 13:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 31,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17225195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xAwkward_Ariesx/pseuds/xAwkward_Ariesx
Summary: Rose doesn't get trapped in the parallel universe, but the Doctor almost does.The reemergence of Bad Wolf, an alternative timeline, a new companion and faces old and new make an appearance all while Rose struggles with a secret.Series 3 Rewrite. Tenrose.





	1. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose returns to the Doctor despite him sending her away, a decision that may have just saved his life. Not that either remember it...

**Chapter One:** Lost.  
**S** **eries:**  Two.  
**E** **pisode:**  Thirteen - Doomsday.

Stubborn. Stubborn was one word that could definitely describe Rose Tyler. As much as it hurt to send her away, it was what he did running from his problems rather than facing them. He should have known that not even a parallel universe would stop the Tyler woman, considering she had ripped open the TARDIS and almost died trying to save him last time he had sent her away. But after all this time, he had hoped that Rose would listen to him. He should have known better.

He hadn't meant to snap at her when she reappeared seconds after he had sent her away to safety. Where she could live a normal human life like she deserved. He had let his frustration and fear at losing her due to her own stubbornness course through him, causing him to snap at her. Why did she have to be so brave? Why couldn't she be like every other fear riddled human who was quick to follow instructions, in order to save themselves? Why did she have to be so jeopardy friendly?

Because despite what he'd told Rose, the Beast's words had lingered in his ear, echoed in his mind and festered doubts and fears.

_ 'The Valiant child who will die in battle so very soon.' _

And a glimpse at the timelines left him feeling certain that this was the battle the Beast had foretold. There was an infinitely small chance that either would survive today, Rose's chances being much fewer than his own. Of the many sprawling timelines that surrounded her, the majority would abruptly end today. And after everything they'd been through he couldn't, no,  _ wouldn't _ let that happen, after all this regeneration was exceedingly more stubborn when it came to his blonde companion. Though in his hearts he knew she was so much more than just a companion and had been for some time.

Despite everything in him telling him not to he wanted to believe her. She had ripped open his TARDIS to save him, she had stuck by him after regeneration and meeting Sarah Jane - he was still confused about what had caused them to burst out laughing-, she had promised him forever and she had jumped back across the dimension leaving behind her mother to come back to him.

He shook himself free of his thoughts and stopped pacing the room. When had he started doing that? He walked over to one of the desks and began typing away. He couldn't think about that right now. He had to focus on the Daleks and Cybermen. They were the problem right now. He heard Rose speak up from the other side of the room.

"We've got Cybermen on the way up."

"How many floors down?" He replied rushing over to her station

"Just one." She said as he looked at her screen over shoulder before dashing off to solve the problem, while Rose continued to type away, her declaration having left her unsure of where they stood.

Once the Doctor had returned they continued to prepare to go into ghost shift as they typed away on the computers, the process made just that bit longer by the lack of staff that Torchwood had at their disposal. This lead to the Doctor, occasionally dashing off to a different workstation, to accomodate for the lack of extra hands. Finally, all preparation had been made - well almost - the Doctor dashed into the office, fully aware that Rose was following, as he clicked a couple of things on the main computer before a smile bloomed on his face.

"That's more like it a bit of a smile." He heard Rose say from behind him, he looked up facing her for the first time since he'd snapped at her and then sent her off to deal with the computers. "The old team." She continued.

"Hope and Glory. Mutt and Jeff." He said playing along trying to regain some of his false cheer from earlier, he picked up one of the magnaclamps. "Shiver and Shake." He finished standing right in front of her.

"Which one's Shiver?" She asked continuing their playful banter.

"Oh, I'm Shake." He said dumping the magnaclamp into her arms and walking back over to levers with the other magnaclamp, he picked it up and attached it to the right wall. Rose did the same on the other side of the room. "Press the red button." he instructed. The magnaclamps made the tell-tale beeping signifying they had been turned on.

They turned away from the wall facing each other as the Doctor started explaining to Rose what to expect when the breach was opened.

"When it starts just hold on tight. It shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and Cybermen are steeped in Void Stuff." They ran over to the levers, grabbing a hold of them. "Are you ready?"

"So are they."

The Doctor's head whipped around to look at what she was talking about. Outside the window, four normal Daleks - not the Cult of Skaro - hovered ready to foil the plans. Clearly having figured out that they had opened the breach after living in it for who knows how long.

"Let's do it!"

They pushed the levers into the upright position making sure they were locked in place before rushing back over to their magnaclamps before the suction of the void became inescapable. The light breeze quickly increased and began sucking at the contents of the room, papers flew around the room into the Void, computers were barely staying in place, straining against the wires that tethered them in place. 

How much of this room had been impacted by Torchwood's meddling? Or rather, how much of  _ London _ had been affected?

The air pressure in the room increased and suddenly the four Daleks were crashing through the window and hurtling into the Void. A stream of Daleks and Cybermen sped through the room and into what looked like a blank wall. But behind which, a fate most horrible awaited them.

As the stream continued the Doctor began to believe that maybe they could get through this without any further implications, the Beast had been wrong. Seconds later, a Dalek crashed into his lever as it passed, causing sparks to fly into the air before dying out. The brief smile dropped. His eyebrows furrowed as he watched his lever gradually begin to fall back down as it was no longer locked into position. He stretched one arm out towards it. It stood just out of reach. He could just let go of the clamp. He could hold on to the lever without falling into the Void, he was sure of it.

He leant further forward. His fingertips just brushed the pole. He could hear Rose screaming at him. His other hand left the clamp and he launched himself at the lever. Grabbing hold, he tried to lock it into the upright position but with the breach open he was being pulled in the opposite making it just that much more difficult. He slid around so his back was facing the breach and pushed the lever up. It took a lot more force to push it up this time.

He finally it got it back into place but the suction had increased along with it and he couldn't get back to his clamp this time. The breach sucked at him, encouraging him to let go and fall into the oblivion that awaited within. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to grip the handle tighter. He could hear Rose screaming but couldn't distinguish any words. The wind pulled harder at his body, his grip slowly loosening. He looked up at Rose then.

Sheer panic and terror consumed her features. And just as his fingers came free from the lever her arm stretched out to him.

"No! My Doctor!"

Suddenly an image flashed through his mind. A memory from another life.

_ "I want you safe my Doctor."  _

The words of Badwolf lingered in mind. But he had removed Badwolf. Hadn't he?

He looked over at Rose. And with one final word she began to glow.

"No." Her tone firm and hauntingly beautiful. All traces of panic were gone as she stared at the Doctor resultantly. The golden glow started in her eyes, her brown irises no longer distinguishable, it travelled down her shoulder and twisted it's way down her arm before engulfing each of her fingers in turn. The speckled golden tendrils reached towards the Doctor. The tendrils twisted around the Doctor suspending him in mid-air. No closer to his clamp and no closer to the void.

Minutes passed and the breach finally closed in on itself. Seconds later the golden light had faded from Rose's eyes, her outstretched arm drop just as she collapsed. With the power of Badwolf no longer keeping him suspended, he hit the floor with a painful thump. He groaned but tried to crawl over to check on the unconscious Rose. Something tugged at him from the edge of his telepathic barrier, urging him into unconsciousness. He fought against the strangely familiar presence.

Every inch was harder than the previous. When he was finally within arm distance of her, he stretched an arm out towards her but he could no longer fight back the presence and collapsed into unconsciousness.

* * *

 

The TARDIS disapproved of the carelessness that the staff of Torchwood had handled her with. She looked around at the bodies littered on the ground and sighed sadly. It could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for her Thief. But all of that was of little concern right now. She had always known this day was coming. She had seen all the different variations this day had taken and had prepared accordingly. She had tried to ensure that nothing would happen to her Wolf or her Thief. As either being lost would have inevitably destroyed the other. But right now she needed to look after them.

She dematerialised from the spot where she had been stationed in the storage warehouse. Rematerialising around her Wolf and Thief. She knew her Thief would worry about her Wolf. He always worried, especially about things out of his control. So she had taken the liberty to remove his memories - only temporarily - of Badwolf from today. Unfortunately, the only way to do so had been to send him into a state of unconsciousness. Her Wolf was not yet ready to wield the power that festered within her veins and as such she needed time to heal. Neither would remember today, not until it was time.

She huffed irritably as she looked at the pair of them unconscious on the grating of her console room. They needed rest and they would not get it that way. Sometimes, she wished she had a physical form. She rearranged the rooms around them. She considered putting them both in her Thief's room but knew that would only lead to confusion when he awoke. Sighing, she left them on the leather sofas in one of her libraries.

She looked sadly at her occupants. Of all the ways this day could have gone this way was one of the best for the both of them but she knew that once her Wolf awoke, realisation would settle in and she would begin her period of mourning. And a long period it would be. While her Thief would continue to blame himself for her pain. There was nothing more she could do.

At this present time at least.

* * *

Two weeks had past on the TARDIS. It had taken Rose a couple of seconds after returning to the TARDIS for the realisation of what happened to catch up with her. A strangled sob had fought its way past her lips but she’d swallowed it down and instead a vacant expression took over her features. She had ran off into the TARDIS somewhere, buried deep within the bowels of his ship to undoubtedly grieve. The Doctor hadn't seen her since and was starting to worry. He didn't know whether she was eating or sleeping. Humans were very fragile and a slight imbalance in either of those could make them unwell. But considering his TARDIS was keeping her hidden he just had to hope that she was looking after her.

And part of him felt guilty. So incredibly guilty. Because she was hurting because of him. Because she’d chosen him and in return had lost her family forever. He couldn’t imagine what Jackie was going through a whole universe away. He’d promised her he’d always bring Rose home and now he’d taken her only child from her so that she could never see her again. He’d ruined everything.

Those kind of thoughts haunted him in Rose’s absence and he’d come to realise that he’d become dependant on her pulling him from one of his moods and yet this was how he was repaying her? So while Rose stayed hidden away the Doctor continued to rush around the TARDIS as he used her for a number of scans. There was one last thing he could do, he just had to make sure it wasn't too late. He was just about to give up when he saw it. A grin spread across his lips and he danced  around the TARDIS with new found excitement.

He couldn't bring Jackie back but there was one thing he could do for Rose. He just hoped it would be enough.

* * *

 

_ "My Wolf."   _ She heard an ethereal voice say in her mind. A voice that reminded her of a mother trying to comfort their distraught child.

Rose ignored the TARDIS. She just wanted to stay curled up in an armchair in one of the TARDIS' smaller libraries staring into the flames of the fireplace. Whilst also, trying not to think about the last time she stared at a fireplace in such misery. She had taken refuge in the small rustic library after the events of the Battle of Canary Wharf, grieving the loss of her mother, and had yet to resurface.

She’d been  _ so _ selfish, she hadn’t even say goodbye, she’d as good as told her mother that the Doctor was more important than she was before leaving her behind. And that wasn’t true, it wasn’t. But she’d gotten so used to acting on impulse instead of planning first, while travelling with the Doctor that it hadn’t even occurred to her.

But now it was eating her up inside. She wasn’t ready to leave just yet, the pain too fresh. And unwilling to burden the Doctor with her pain - while also knowing full well he was blaming himself regardlessly - she’d selfishly stayed hidden away.  _ God _ , she really did make a mess of everything all the time, didn’t she? And she couldn’t exactly complain could she? She was the one would made a big speech about her choice despite the Doctor’s warnings. And yet here she was.

_ "Come along my Wolf." _   Rose was intent on continuing to ignore the TARDIS until she spoke up again.

It had taken time to get used to the TARDIS' presence in her mind and to understand the odd way in which she spoke, but now it was almost second nature. Communicating with the TARDIS was difficult for one reason - she couldn’t talk - it was usually just thoughts, images and emotions broadcasted straight into her brain, as close to communicating as the sentient time machine could manage.

But on days when her barriers were low and she was particularly weak those impressions sounded more like words. Whether it was because they were words or because it was easier to translate when she wasn’t worrying so much, she didn’t know. And right now, she didn’t care either.

_ "Our Thief has something to show you... It's important."   _ She added after a moment's hesitation.

Rose bit her lips indecisively. She was curious. She couldn't deny that, after all what would the TARDIS be disrupting her depressing thoughts for, after so long if it wasn't important. Wringing her hands together, she left the comfort of the library hesitantly making her way to the console room. Her hands played with the longs sleeves of her thin pink button shirt.

Taking a deep breath, Rose stepped into the console room. Rose hadn't felt this awkward and uncomfortable around the Doctor since he had first regenerated. She looked up and watched the Time Lord dance around the console of his ship manically. He noticed her standing there out of the corner of his eye and his head snapped towards her. He gave her a small comforting smile before looking back down at the console and slipping into lecture mode.

"Rose! There was one tiny little crack left in the universe but it needs a lot of power do so though, even just for a couple of minutes, so I have us orbiting a supernova but I've already sent through a telepathic message so everything should be ready." He said quickly flicking switches.

"What this all for Doctor?" Rose asked still thoroughly confused.

He turned to face her then no longer touching the console.

"It will give us just enough power to get a projection through. I can't actually take you to her but this is the best I can do." He said scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, face scrunched up "So you can say goodbye to her, Rose." He looked up at her at that last sentence expecting to see anger for giving up and abandoning her mother in the parallel universe, but instead, she looked thankful.

"I can say goodbye?" Her voice was full of hope at the opportunity she thought she would never have.

He nodded at her question and she flung herself at him her arms wrapping around him in a hug. He cautiously wrapped his arms around her waist, unsure of himself around her after her long absence. She mumbled 'thank you's into his neck before releasing him. They both tried to ignore the fact that they missed having the other in their arms, for the sake of the other. They smiled at each other before the Doctor turned to flick one last switch.

An image of Jackie Tyler appeared near where the TARDIS' doors usually stood, now replaced by an empty grey beach, the rest of the TARDIS still remained behind her though she seemed to be standing just behind the line where the illusion ended on the familiar grating. Jackie was looking at something off to the right dressed head to toe in pink clothing appropriate for cold weather. Rose bit the inside of her lip to hold back tears. Fiddling with the sleeves of her shirt she walked hesitantly towards the image.

By the time she was at arms length away from the image Jackie had turned around. Jackie's hands flew up to her face. The older Tyler woman choked back sobs at the sight of her daughter.

"Rose?" Jackie asked finally removing her hands from her face she must be imagining it, Rose wasn't here she was back in their universe.

Rose smiled at her mum unable to form words at the moment. She nodded in answer to Jackie's unspoken question. It really was her.

"Where are you?" Jackie asked after deciding that even if she wasn't the real Rose she would still make the most of it.

"In the TARDIS. The Doctor found one little gap left in the universe so I could say goodbye" Rose said shakily.

"You look like a ghost." And after their latest adventure that was not a reminder anyone wanted.

"Oh. Hold on." The Doctor said from behind her, she turned around to watch him point his screwdriver at something on the console before she turned back around to her mum, the projection much clearer now, she almost believed she was in the same room.

Jackie watched as the two of them came into focus. It was hard to believe she wasn't really here and actually on the TARDIS. She reached out to hug her daughter before the Doctor spoke up from behind her daughter.

"We're still just an image." He said sadly. He wished he could give them both something better but he couldn't.

Rose looked down at the now sandy floor sadly at the information. Jackie nodded and dropped her hand. Jackie wanted to ask the Doctor if they could come through properly but was afraid she already knew the answer. If he could, he would have done it for her Rose. That daft alien was as in love her daughter as she was with him. She couldn't understand the relationship but she wasn't going to dwell on that now. This may be the last time she ever saw her daughter after all.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t think I just left you there, I didn’t even say goodbye. I’m sorry.” She said tearily.

“Oh none of that sweetheart, you’ll set me off. I know you didn’t mean anything by it but I can’t talk about it now. If this is the last chance we’ve got, lets not let it be about regrets, eh?”

Rose nodded, still feeling guilty for leaving her. Trying to distract herself, she looked up and suddenly seemed to notice Jackie's surroundings. No zeppelins or London traffic just a sprawling - if a little grey - beach.

"Where are you?" Rose asked.

"In bloody Norway! Some place called Dårlig Ulv Stranden."

"Dalek?" She heard the Doctor ask with a start from behind her.

"Dår-lig." She pronounced slowly in her thick cockney accent, she looked off down the beach at Pete and Mickey for a moment. She turned back to face her daughter before continuing "Mickey say this place translates as Bad Wolf Bay, though I don't see what that's any good for, not gonna stop me from freezin’ to death." She didn't notice her daughter freeze at the words are the way the Doctor became more alert. "How long have we got?" She asked sadly.

"About two minutes." The Doctor answered.

Jackie nodded. Two minutes before her daughter would disappear for good. Rose noticed the other two figures on the beach.

"Mickey's still around then?"

"Yeah, there's five of us now Mickey, Mickey's nan, Pete.... and a little one."

"You're not? Seriously?" Rose asked, there was a small disbelieving smile on her lips but there was sadness in her eyes. She had always wanted a sibling now she would never get to meet them. But she was happy for her mum, she finally got to have the life she always deserved.

"I know it’s barmy, I’m three months gone." Jackie said smiling placing a hand on her stomach. The two of them smiled from where they stood inside the TARDIS but Rose couldn’t help the slight twinge she felt at hearing how much longer it had been for her mum. "His sister helped save the world."

"He?"

"Just a hunch." Jackie answered suddenly aware of her dwindling time "I love you sweetheart don't forget that while your off running for your life."

"I won't, I love you too mum and that baby." Nodding her head in the direction of her mum's stomach. Jackie nodded smiling at her daughter before turning to the alien standing behind her.

"And you. Look after her she hasn't got anyone else left now. You keep her safe or even a parallel universe won't stop me from givin' you a right good slap." The Doctor nodded she knew he would look after her, he had done so far anyway. "Am I ever gonna see her again Doctor?" She asked sadly.

The Doctor shook his head sadly looking down at the grating. He hadn't been particularly fond of Jackie in his last regeneration but he saw her as a sort of unfortunate mother figure now. It hurt to know he was making both of the Tyler women miserable. And there was nothing he could do to change it.

Jackie whispered to her daughter while the alien was distracted. "Forget what I said before sweetheart, about being like him it doesn't matter, I'm so proud of you, just... Just look after him. He needs you as much as you need 'im." Her daughter looked shocked but nodded nonetheless at what might be her mother's last request.

And just like that they disappeared fading into thin air. Jackie's head dropped and soon the rest of her followed as she sat crying on that dreaded beach in Norway. Pete ran over and held her in his arms as she sobbed for the loss of her daughter.

* * *

The image of Jackie disappeared right before her. Her mouth fell open. She would never see her again. Her lip wobbled. She pressed her lips tightly together trying to hold back her sobs. When she could fight it no longer she dropped her head into her hands. Tears flowed down her cheeks.

Two arms wrapped around her shaking frame. She turned, sobbing into his pinstriped suit. She could have sworn she felt a single tear drop onto her head but she couldn't be sure.

After a moment or two, Rose pushed herself out of embrace. Needing a minute to collect herself, she walked over to the other side of the console holding on to one of the coral struts for support. The Doctor seeming to understand, left her alone after giving her hand a quick reassuring squeeze.

She heard the Doctor flicking a couple of switches in the silence that followed. That silence was suddenly broken by his exclamation.

"What?"

She heard a female gasp. Before the Doctor repeated his question.

"What?" The Doctor asked a little more firmly having got over some of his shock.

"Who are you?" the voice of an unknown woman asked.

At this Rose finally turned around mascara tracked down her cheeks from crying. There stood a red-haired woman in her wedding dress in the spot her mother had stood not even moments before.

"B-." The Doctor tried to question her again before getting cut off.

"Where am I?" The woman asked angrily as if this was all a great inconvenience to her.

"What?"

"What the hell is this place!?" The woman yelled.

"What!?"

_ Oh, dear. _ Rose thought,  _ This was not going to end well. _

 


	2. Red and the Spider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moments after saying goodbye to her Mum, Rose and the Doctor are introduced to the mystery that is Donna Noble. Curious as to how the fiery red head got on board they once again stumble upon the institution that so recently caused them so much pain. However, that is all sidelined when Rose notices her intriguing reaction to their stint in the lab. Is this the beginning of the end?

**Chapter Two:**  Red and the Spider.  
**Series:**  Three.  
**Episode:**  Christmas Special - Runaway Bride.

_Rose heard the Doctor flicking a couple of switches in silence. That silence was suddenly broken by his exclamation._

_"What?"_

_She heard a female gasp. Before the doctor repeated his question._

_"What?" The Doctor asked a little more firmly having got over some of his shock._

_"Who are you?" the unknown woman asked_

_At this Rose finally turned around mascara tracked down her cheeks from crying. There stood a red haired women in her wedding dress._

_"Bu-." The Doctor tried to question her again before getting cut off._

_"Where am I?" The woman asked as if this was all a great inconvenience to her._

_"What?"_

_"What the hell is this place!?" The woman yelled._

_"What!?"_

* * *

"You can't do that I wasn't- We're in flight! That's physically impossible! How did yo-" The Doctor exclaimed confused.

"Tell me where I am. I demand you tell me, right now, where am I!?" She yelled cutting him off.

"Inside the TARDIS." He replied more calmly than before.

"The what?"

"The TARDIS."

"The what!?"

"The TARDIS!" The Doctor said getting more exasperated as he moved around the console flicking switches.

 "The what!?"

"It's called the TARDIS."

"That's not even a proper word! Your just saying things!"

Rose stood quietly watching the scene before her unfurl with her mouth dropped open in shock and confusion.

"How did you get in here?"

"Obviously when you kidnapped me! Who was it? Who's paying you? Was it Nerys?  _ Oh my god, _ she's finally got me back! This has got Nerys written all over it."

"Who the hell is Nerys?"

"Your best friend."

"Hold on wait a minute, what are you dressed like that for?"

"I'm going ten pin bowling. Why do you think, dumbo!? I was halfway up the aisle. I have waited all my life for this and I was just seconds away and you- I dunno drugged me or something."

" _ I _ haven't done anything."

"I'm having the police on you! Me and my husband - as soon as he is my husband - we're gonna sue the living backside off of ya!"

Despite the absurdity and the seriousness of the situation Rose couldn’t help wonder how that would go down in court as the Doctor was for all intents and purposes a penniless, homeless alien who could change his face.

Donna spotted the Tardis' doors and ran towards them.

"No! Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Don-"

It was too late she had pulled open the doors and stared at the supernova they were still orbiting.

"Your in space. Outer space and this is my... space ship. It's called a TARDIS."

"How am I breathing?"

"The TARDIS is protecting us."

"Who are ya?"

"I'm the Doctor. You?"

"Donna."

"Human?"

"Yeah. Is that optional?"

"Well, it is for me."

"You're an alien."

"Yeah."

"It's freezing with these doors open."

The Doctor slammed the doors, rushing back to the console he began to ramble.

"I don't understand it. And I understand everything." Rose gave a silent chuckle at that. "This can't happen. There is no way a human being can lock onto the Tardis and transport itself inside." The Doctor mumbled to himself trying to come up with an explanation as he grabbed an ophthalmoscope to look at Donna's eye.

Donna slapped him, as he went on and on.  _ Mum would've liked her, _ Rose thought to herself. Suddenly she realised it didn’t matter what her mum thought, she was gone for good. Fighting against the fresh wave of tears that threatened to overspill she stayed silent watching things play out, too overcome by the still fresh grief to intervene.

"What was that for?"

"Get me to the church!"

"Right! Fine, I don't want you here anyway. Where is this wedding?" The Doctor sniped childishly.

"Saint Mary's, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System!" Donna answered her volume increasing with each destination.

It was then that Donna spotted Rose standing in the doorway to the console room mascara still tracked down her face having forgotten about it in her shock at seeing Donna.

"I knew it. Acting all innocent. I'm not the first am I? How many women have you abducted?"

"He didn't abduct me." Rose said gently.

"Then why are you crying?" Not believing the younger blonde she continued. "What did he do to you, huh? Drug ya? Say he'd hurt ya if you rat him out? You can tell me because my husband and I will have the police on him." She said in a much softer voice than she'd used since arriving on the TARDIS.

"I promise you Donna he didn't do anything. To me or you." She said she swallowed back fresh tears before answering her question "He just let me say goodbye to my mum."

" _ Let _ you?" Donna's rage had returned with a vengeance at the unfortunate misunderstanding. "You're coming with me, and we're getting out of here!"

Donna grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her towards the doors. They had landed by this point having felt the tell-tale thump. The Doctor looked panicked as he watched Rose get dragged of the TARDIS by Donna.

"Donna wait!" Rose said panicking.

Donna pulled her out of the door but stopped right in front of them looking around frowning. The Doctor joined them outside thankful that Donna hadn’t whisked Rose away.

The short pause had allowed her head to clear only for her to realise she felt rather queasy. Days she’d spent holed up in the TARDIS and  _ now _ she was getting sick? Typical. Weirdly enough though it felt almost as if the sensation didn’t belong to her.

"I said Saint Mary's, what sort of Martian are you? Where's this?" She questioned turning to the Doctor but was looking at his box with frown stroking the outside of it.

"Something's wrong with her. It's... like she's...  _ recalibrating _ !" He said diving back into the ship, Rose heard him continue to mutter to himself about the TARDIS.

Rose bit her thumb, looking worriedly at Donna. She was staring at the TARDIS in shock. Rose understood that feeling. She placed her hands on Donna's arms trying to comfort the woman.

"Donna?" Rose asked gently.

Just then the Doctor shouted her name too.

"Donna? You've really got to think. Is there anything that might've caused this? Anything you might've done?" Donna ripped out of Rose's grip to walk around the TARDIS. "Any sort of alien contacts? I can't let you go wandering off. What if you're dangerous. I mean, have you, have you seen lights in the sky, or did you touch something like something, something different, something strange? Or something made out of a box of metal or..." Donna's head darted in and back out again. She remembered feeling like that but she didn't know how to help without igniting the women’s anger again. "Who are you getting married? Are you sure he's human? He's not a bit overweight with a zip around his forehead, is he?"

Donna's hand covered her mouth in shock. Rose went to comfort the older woman before she ran off. Rose ran after her.

"Donna!" Rose called

"Leave me alone I just wanna get married."

"Come back to the Tardis, the Doctor will fix it."

"No way! That box is too... weird."

"I know it's bigger on the inside, freaked me out too."

Rose glanced back over her shoulder at the TARDIS, she really didn’t want to be away from the Doctor right now, it’d barely even been ten minutes since she’d said goodbye to her mum. She didn’t think she was quite up for this. And trying to figure out how to maneuver Donna’s explosive temperament was not a task she could manage today. But she knew calling for the Doctor would set the red head off again.

Donna carried on walking as she glanced down at her watch.

"Ten past three, gonna miss it." Donna said sadly.

"Here, phone them and then come back to the TARDIS and the Doctor will fix it, I promise." She said handing the woman her mobile.

Rose then remembered what the Doctor had asked about her husband being human.

"This man your marrying, what's his name?" Rose asked.

"Lance." Donna answered a dreamy look on her face

"Gotta like Lance." Rose said with her cheeky tongue between teeth smile.

Donna smiled dreamily before turning away and calling someone.

"Mum get off the phone and listen I'm in... Oh my god I dunno where I am, It's a street and there's WHSmith but it’s definitely Earth." Donna ended the call. "Here ya go Blondie. Thanks but I'm not going back in there it’s too... Martian."

Donna ran down the street. Rose ran after her as she was trying to call a taxi. Rose caught up with her.

"Why's his light on?"

"C'mon there's another one."

"Taxi! Oi!"

"C'mon."

"Oi!"

"Why aren't they stopping?" Perhaps she’d spent too long on alien planets, but she couldn’t seem to understand why they weren’t stopping. But she also wasn’t really in the right state of mind to think too deeply on it.

"They think I'm in fancy dress."

Another taxi drove past this one with it’s window down. The driver shouted something unrecognisable in his thick accent.

"They think I'm drunk."

Two men drove past in a bright blue car.

"You're fooling no-one mate." They shouted.

"They think I'm in drag."

Rose considered her options for a minute. Donna was gonna leave with or without her help and seeing as they still didn’t understand how she’d gotten on board it was probably best Rose kept an eye on her. She then remembered a trick the Doctor had taught her.

"Hold on."

She put to fingers in her mouth and let out a deafening whistle. A taxi swerved in front of them. The two girls clambered in.

"Saint Mary's in Chiswick just off Hayden road. It an emergency I'm getting married. Just hurry up." Donna said as soon as she got into the vehicle.

"That will cost you sweetheart, double rates today."

"Oh my god, have you got any money."

"Uh no." Her bag was still at her mum’s they hadn’t remembered to go back and get it amongst everything else, she was about as penniless as the Doctor right now.

The taxi braked suddenly. The girls sighed getting back out.

"And that goes double for ya mother!" Donna shouted at the driver before he drove off. "I'll have 'im, I've got his number, I'll have 'im. Talk about the Christmas spirit."

Rose suddenly became aware of her surroundings.

"It's Christmas already?" Rose asked confused.

Oh god it was her first Christmas without her mum. She hadn’t even had time to consider Christmas while travelling with the Doctor, she hadn’t needed to last year and now it had snuck up on her just after she’d left her mum behind. The irony was not lost her.

"Yes! It's Christmas Eve." Donna replied frustrated.

"C'mon let's go see if the Doctor's got any money." Rose said solemnly, pointing her thumb back in the direction of the Tardis.

The two of them walked back to the TARDIS. No running needed this time.

"How comes ya gettin' married on Christmas Eve."

"Can't bare it. I 'ate Christmas, honeymoon in Morocco, sunshine lovely."

Rose hummed in agreement.

“So if he didn’t kidnap you, what are you two? It’s not some sort of Stockholm syndrome thing is it? Are you an alien and all?”

“No, I’m human, London born and raised. The Doctor and I are just friends.” She answered uncomfortably, it didn’t matter what her own feelings were on the matter, they could never be more and she really didn’t want to think about that right now.

The awkwardness of her answer was not helped by the disbelieving look Donna sent her. Thankfully they’d returned to the TARDIS so Rose called to the Doctor before stepping inside the blue box. Donna stayed outside still not quite over the whole bigger on the inside thing.

"Doctor!"

"Yeah."

"Got any money, Donna needs a taxi."

"Uh." The Doctor stood up from where he had been checking the monitor as he patted down his pockets. "No. C'mon let's go find a checkpoint, maybe getting Donna back is the key to understanding."

The Doctor ran out and Rose grabbed a black leather jacket that had appeared by the door, she sent a thankful smile towards the ceiling before following. Donna was leaning against the TARDIS looking bored and fed up. The two women followed the Doctor as he tried to find a cash point. The Doctor finally found one, Rose followed while Donna lagged behind.

The Doctor hopped from foot-to-foot as he waited for the man in front to withdraw his cash. Rose withheld her laughter as she watched the Doctor get frustrated so quickly from such a short time waiting, he really did have the attention span of a toddler sometimes. The Doctor finally made it to the cash point using his sonic to withdraw money, making Rose wonder, he spent so much time on Earth why didn't he get an account? He had worked for UNIT after all. But she couldn’t deny how useful that particular setting was, especially off-world.

Rose dismissed that train of thought as she turned to look for Donna. It looked like Donna was taking matters into her own hands as she called over a taxi. She turned to tell the Doctor but spotted the robot Santas and groaned. One year. Just one goddamned year. Her attention drifted back to Donna when she shouted.

"Thanks for nothing Spaceman. I'll see you in court."

Donna clambered into the taxi. And of course the driver was a robot Santa.

"Donna!" The Doctor shouted from behind her.

They spun round to face the impending crowd of Santas. They had lowered their instruments, clearly prepared to shoot just like the previous year. The Doctor pointed his screwdriver at the cashpoint and money flooded out, passers by swarmed to grab the floating cash, effectively covering them from the Santas. He grabbed her hand and they ran back to the TARDIS together. They burst through the doors and the Doctor immediately began flicking switches and pulling various levers.

"It's Christmas? Again! What is it with this planet and Christmas?"

Rose leaned against the Tardis doors as she watched the Doctor ramble about Christmas on Earth. A smile slowly bloomed on her face, the routine of chaos was something so normal to Rose that it distracted her from her grief and all her memories of last year. She suddenly heard the TARDIS make a disturbing grinding sound different from her usual ones. Her head snapped up to the rotor.

"Doctor? What's wrong?"

"We're flying. She doesn't like it very much."

She heard the TARDIS grumble in her mind. Something about the Doctor's driving.

"Oi!" The Doctor must have heard it as well.

The Doctor continued to flick switches, pull levers and turn knobs. Sparks flew from the console. Rose ducked slightly. The Doctor picked up his mallet and whacked the console.

"Behave!"

The TARDIS grumbled but no more sparks flew. Rose took that as a good sign.

"Rose come here." Rose rushed over to the console eager to help. "When I say, pull that lever, that lever there got it?" Rose nodded "Good." The Doctor ran to the doors, flinging them open.

"Open the door!" The Doctor yelled at Donna.

"Do what?" She yelled back.

"Open the door!"

"I can't, it's locked!" He made a frustrated noise in his throat, leaning against the side of the Tardis, he pulled out his sonic screwdriver. Panic and fear suddenly flooded through Rose as she envisioned him toppling out, she wasn’t prepared to lose him now or ever, especially so soon after saying goodbye to the last of her family. He pointed it at the door and Donna pushed down the window.

“Be careful!” Rose screamed at him just as the TARDIS jolted, showering her in sparks she ducked to avoid them, subsequently pulling her eyes away from the Doctor and his precarious position in the doorway above the motorway.

"Santa's a robot." Donna said in shock.

"Donna open the door."

"What for?"

"You've got to jump."

"I'm not blinking flip jumping. I'm supposed to be getting married!"

He made another frustrated noise low in his throat as the taxi sped away.

"Now, Rose."

Rose pushed the lever forward. She felt the TARDIS jolt and bash into things. Probably cars. Sparks flew from the console. Rose shrieked trying to avoid the second wave of showering sparks. Oh this was such a bad idea. The Doctor wasn’t much better off himself as he was left clutching the sides of the TARDIS trying to avoid being thrown out.

"Listen to me - you've got to jump!"

"I'm not jumping on a motorway."

"Whatever that thing is, it needs you. And whatever it needs you for, it’s not good. Now, jump!"

"I'm in my wedding dress!"

"Yes! You look lovely! Come on!"

"I can't do it." Donna cried fearfully.

"Trust me." The Doctor said much more calmly than before in the hopes of coaxing her out before things got so much worse.

"Is that what you said to her? Rose, does she trust you?" Clearly still not believing that Rose hadn’t been kidnapped as she’d accused earlier.

"Yes, with my life!" Rose called from within the TARDIS.

"Now, jump!"

Donna screamed and landed on top of the Doctor in the TARDIS' doorway. The Doctor kicked the door shut and pulled them both up. He finally rejoined her at the console, taking over the controls and getting them off the motorway.

* * *

The Doctor landed them on a rooftop. The three of them exited coughing from the smoke. The Doctor was trying to distinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher that he kept handy for moments such as this. Donna looked down at her watch as Rose kept her mouth covered, keeping an eye on the Doctor.

"Funny thing is, for a... spaceship she doesn't do that much... flying. We better give her a couple of hours. You alright?" He asked the distressed looking bride.

"Doesn't matter." She said shrugging.

"Did we miss it?" Rose asked coming to stand on the bride's other side.

"Yeah." She said turning to face her.

"Well, you can book another date." The Doctor suggested as clueless as always.

"Course we can." She said still sounding deflated.

"Still got the honeymoon." Rose said trying to help her, it just seemed wrong for the fiery woman to be so extinguished.

" 'S just a holiday now."

"Yeah, suppose so."

"Sorry." The Doctor apologised.

"It's not your fault."

"Oh! That's a change."

"Wish you had a time machine then we could go back and get it right."

"Uh ...yeah, yeah. But even if I did, I couldn't get back along someone's personal timeline. Apparently."

Donna looked at him suspiciously before sitting down on the edge of the roof. Rose plopped down beside her and the Doctor soon followed sitting on the red's other side. The Doctor draped his suit jacket over Donna's bare shoulders as she shivered between the two time travellers.

"God, you're skinny. This wouldn't fit a rat." Donna exclaimed.

Rose bit her lip and turned away in an attempt to keep her laughter at bay.

As her eyes scanned the city before her she couldn’t help spot her mum’s flat. And wasn’t that an odd thought. She’d spent her whole life there, yet now she thought of it as her mum’s rather than theirs. Briefly she wondered when that had changed but she knew that deep down she thought of the TARDIS and it’s Timelord as home for a long time now.

Unwanted memories rose to the surface at the thought, she dropped her gaze, staring at her dangling feet instead.

"Oh and you'd better put this on." Rose heard the Doctor say. "Sorry, but those creatures can trace you. This is a bio-damper. Should keep you hidden." He said wincing.

Rose turned back around to see the Doctor holding out a gold ring to Donna. Donna nodded accepting the explanation clearly giving up on questioning anything that was too unusual.

"So, come on then. Robot santas, what are they for?" Donna asked.

"Ah, your basic robo scavenger. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise. They're trying to blend in. We met them last Christmas."

Rose grimaced at the reminder. Hadn’t she just been thinking about them? Unsurprisingly, really.

"Why, what happened then?" Donna asked perplexed.

Rose faced her, a deep frown etched into her skin.

"Great big spaceship hovering over London? Nearly 'alf of the world stood on the roof? You dint notice?" Rose asked, though she didn’t think it was possible, it was worldwide after all.

"I had a bit of a hangover." Donna answered as if that explained everything.

Rose frown deepened. She had her fair share of hangovers over the years, but nothing could have made her drunk enough to not notice what had happened. The Doctor looked concerned too. But he quickly went back to their robot attackers.

"Question is, what do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you? And how did you get inside the Tardis? I don't know. What's your job?"

"I'm a secretary." Donna answered not noticing the worried expressions of the people on either side of her.

The Doctor whipped his screwdriver out and ran it over Donna.

"It's weird. I mean, you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important. Just human. So what is it?"

Donna turned to Rose looking exasperated.

"Do you ever just wanna punch him in the face?" Donna whipped back round to the Doctor. "Stop bleeping me!" She shouted.

"What kind of secretary?" The Doctor asked choosing to ignore Donna's remark to Rose, though he shot her a pointed look to which Rose smirked at over Donna's shoulder in response.

"I'm at HC Clements. It's where I met Lance. I was temping." Donna's eyes glazed over as she recounted the memory. "I mean, it was all a bit posh really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well, I thought I'm never going to fit in here. And then he made me a coffee. I mean, that just doesn't happen. Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee, right?" Donna asked Rose seemingly having chosen that she was the more normal of the two.

Rose nodded, whether in agreement or as an encouragement to continue it didn’t seem to matter.

"And Lance, he's the head of HR! He don't need to bother with me. But he was nice, he was funny." Donna continued, Rose smiled despite herself thinking about the other occupant on the roof, she shook her head dismissing the thought. Now was so not the time for her childish crush.

"And it turns out he thought everyone else was really snotty too. So that's how it started, me and him. One cup of coffee. That was it." Donna concluded.

"When was this?" The Doctor asked.

"Six months ago." Donna answered.

"Bit quick to get married." The Doctor commented.

"Well, he insisted."

The Doctor shot Rose a look that depicted that he didn't believe that was the case. Rose bit her lip again, trying to control the laughter that wanted to bubble past her lips. Rose shot him a glare that was quite clearly reprimanding him for being rude. The Doctor nodded as if to say 'Yep, rude and not ginger' he turned away from her, ending their silent conversation a pleased smile on his lips for getting Rose to laugh - well almost laugh anyway - even after having to say goodbye to her mother less than an hour ago.

"And he just wore me down. And then finally, I just gave in." Donna continued, neither of them had noticed she wasn't quite finished, too consumed in each other.

"What does HC Clements do?" The Doctor asked to cover up the fact he hadn't been paying proper attention.

"Oh, security systems. You know, entry codes, ID cards, that sort of thing. If you ask me, it's a posh name for locksmiths."

"Keys." The Doctor said in the voice he always used when he knew something was important he just didn't know why quite yet.

"Anyway, enough of my CV. Come on, it's time to face the consequences. Oh, this is going to be so shaming. You can do the explaining, Martian boy." Donna said breaking the silence that settled over the trio as she stood up.

"Yeah. I'm not from Mars." The Doctor said offended at the comparison.

"Oh, I had this great big reception all planned. Everyone's going to be heartbroken." Donna said to no one in particular in a disappointed tone clearly ignoring the Doctor's comment.

Rose smiled getting up, following the other two. She could tell she was gonna like Donna she had this sort of fire to her. 

* * *

The TARDIS materialised at the correct destination this time. Her passengers spilled out into the reception decorated for the festive season, Slade was coming from the speakers and all the guests were too busy enjoying themselves to notice the spaceship appear out of thin air.

While growing up without a father had left Rose with a particularly dad shaped hole in her life that no amount of boyfriends filled, it did mean that she had been particularly close to her mum. They were all that each other had in this world. And there was no doubt in Rose’s mind that if she’d disappeared halfway down the aisle her mum would be organising a search party and not a single person would be partying.

After all she’d been missing for a year and her mum had never given up forcing the police to give a damn as well despite her only being another nobody from the estates. And in that moment Rose felt nothing but anger towards - supposedly - the most important people in Donna’s life for how they’d quickly abandoned her.

"You had the reception without me?" Donna spoke up, outraged at this betrayal.

"Donna, what happened to you?" A dark skinned, bald man asked stepping forward.

"You had the reception without me?" Donna repeated.

"Hel-" The Doctor went to speak but Rose nudged him slightly in the ribs, clearly noting the redhead's upset, the fact that they weren't on the guest list and had just so happen to turn up with the missing bride. Okay there was a ton of reasons the Doctor should keep quiet, his gob got them into as much trouble as it got them out of, if not more so.

The Doctor looked down to Rose a questioning expression filling his features. Rose just shook her head subtly. For someone who spent so much time around humans he truly was clueless when it came to social cues.

"They had the reception without me." Donna said two the travellers in disbelief, luckily having not heard the Doctor's interruption.

"Well, it was all paid for. Why not?" A blonde woman called a sneer decorating her otherwise pretty features.

"Thank you, Nerys." Donna spat.

A look of understanding passed over the Doctor's features, while Rose wondered why on earth the woman was at Donna's wedding when they clearly didn't see eye to eye. And what it was exactly had transpired between the two that lead to thinking the blonde would go as far as to kidnap her on her wedding day, Jackie wasn’t the only gossip after all, Rose could just cover the nasty habit up as investigating, while Jackie didn’t have such an excuse.

"Well, what were we supposed to do? I got your silly little message in the end.  _ ‘I'm on Earth?’ _ Very funny. What the hell happened? How did you do it? I mean, what's the trick, because I'd love to know." Another woman pushed her way forward, she had lined skin, pale blonde hair and her features were akin to Donna's.

Suddenly, everyone started talking at once. Rose heard Lance over the loud chatter say.

"Where were you the whole time?"

At the sudden onslaught of conversation, Donna promptly burst into tears. That quickly shut everyone up. Lance stepped forward to hug her, everyone burst into a round of applause and cooing, Rose noted that Nerys wasn't among them. From over Lance's shoulder Donna winked at the two travellers and continued her fake crying burying her face in her would have been husband’s shoulder.

Rose smirked. She could tell that Donna knew just what to do to get what she wanted and briefly wondered what she was like as a child.

It doesn't take long after that for the ensembled guest to get back into the swing of the party. The Doctor looked down at Rose and nodded towards the bar, she followed after him.

"Have you got your phone?" The Doctor asked once they were at the bar, now that they were slightly further away from the source of the music.

Rose nodded and dug her phone back out of her pocket handing it over.

The Doctor quickly got to work searching up about this 'HC Clements'. He slid his glasses on as he read whatever it was he had dug up. Rose watched the guests dancing around and briefly thought back to the Doctor in another lifetime and how they had danced during the blitz, she looked at her own Doctor as these thoughts rampaged through her head. She saw him whip out his sonic screwdriver, probably to dig further. Suddenly he scowled.

"Of course." He said bitterly.

Rose looked at the screen over his shoulder.

'HC Clements, sole proprietor - Torchwood.' it read.

Rose turned away from the screen trying to not think of how Torchwood had ruined everything for her. She knew she couldn’t blame them, they had gone looking for trouble - as usual - but it wasn't entirely their fault. After all, she thought to herself, they can't be all that bad, seeing as Mickey works for Torchwood. She didn't listen to the nagging voice reminding her it was a parallel Torchwood ran by her father making the two versions of the institution literal worlds apart.

Rose turned back towards the Doctor forcing a smile at his inquiring look as he handed the phone back to her. She slipped it back into her pocket and continued her people watching.

Unaware that the Doctor's thoughts had drifted down a similar path as hers had only moments ago, as he watched a couple dance. While the dance they had shared in his last life hadn't crossed his mind he thought back on the first adventure he had taken Rose on in this body, when she had been possessed by Cassandra. The Doctor almost considered asking her to dance before remembering that she had said goodbye to her mother for the last time only this morning and he couldn't ask her to do something like that as his companion.

It was always hard for the Doctor to put Rose in the same category as the rest of his companions. He had very strict personal rules that ensured he never became ensnared like he was with Rose or that he ever gave them the wrong idea. He wasn't sure what had gone wrong, he was usually so careful. He blamed the vulnerability of his past self for letting the human in. After all, he had been born from the love he shared for Rose. A love he could never act on. In a way he was more of a coward than his last self when it came to her. With that thought in mind he turned away from the dancers that had captured his attention by chance.

No longer focusing on the dancers or his own internal thoughts he spotted a young man stood beside a camera corder on a tripod. The Doctor strode over to him. Rose noticing the change in the Doctor's attitude followed after him.

"Oh, I taped the whole thing. They've all had a look. They said sell it to You've Been Framed. I said, more like the News. Here we are..." The man was saying when Rose made her way over, she peered over the Doctor's shoulder to see what it was that he was showing them.

The recording played and they could see a beaming Donna making her way down the aisle. When suddenly what looked like golden particles of dust danced across her skin in a way that seemed far too familiar to Rose. At first it was only a couple but they quickly grew in number and seemed to swarm around her and move in golden tendrils of light. The Doctor's eyes flickered to Rose worriedly, but Rose didn't noticed to enrapt by the footage playing before her. And just as the golden light seem to coalesce Donna screamed and disappeared.

"Can't be. Play it again?" The Doctor said confused.

The man did as he was told, not questioning just who exactly the Doctor was, but Rose had long since given up questioning just why people seemed to trust a hyperactive puppy with a tattered wallet and a young blonde.

"Clever, mind. Good trick, I'll give her that. I was clapping." The unknown cameraman spoke.

"But tha- that..." The Doctor stuttered in disbelief.

"What is it Doctor?"

"But that looks like Huon Particles." The Doctor said still not believing the words he was uttering.

"What's that then?" The man asked.

"That's impossible. That's ancient. Huon energy doesn't exist anymore, not for billions of years..." The Doctor paused a thousand thoughts seeming to rush through his mind at once. "So old that it can't be hidden by a biodamper!" He shouted, dashing off.

Rose eyes widened in realisation as she chased after him.

And sure enough there they were. An approaching army of Santas. God her Christmases were weird. Having gotten the information the Doctor needed he ran back into the party trying to get through the throng while shouting.

"Donna! Donna, they've found you." He told her once he'd caught up with the would have been bride.

"But you said I was safe." Donna looked shocked and betrayed, and maybe that was fair enough considering the way her day was going.

"The bio-damper doesn't work. We've got to get everyone out."

"My God, it's all my family." Donna said looking appalled as the situation seemed to catch up with her.

"Out the back door!" The Doctor called.

They dashed over to the door but more Santas were approaching. They slammed the doors closed and ran back into the hall. 

"Maybe not." Rose said, thinking out loud.

They looked through the french windows instead.

"We're trapped." Donna said hopelessly.

Donna and the Doctor were still staring out the window when something caught Rose's eye. Still looking off to the side she reached out behind her to tap the Doctor's arm.

"Doctor." Rose began warily.

"Christmas trees." They said at the same time, the tone of voice echoing with the reminder of the destruction they caused last time and with the thought of just how much worse it could have been.

"What about them?"

"They kill." Rose said her voice soft but her fearful expression betraying just how bad they were, as she dashed back into the throng behind the Doctor.

"Get away from the trees." The Doctor shouted.

"Don't touch the trees!" Rose echoed, her tone severe.

"Get away from the Christmas trees! Everyone get away from them! Everyone stay away from the trees! Stay away from the trees!"

"Oh, for God's sakes, the man's an idiot. Why? What harm's a Christmas tree going to." Oh Rose was really starting to dislike the woman. "Oh." She stopped whatever she was going to say as the shiny, red baubles floated off the trees.

The Doctor and Rose eyed them warily.

They started spinning softly before zipping around the place. Suddenly several explosions were going off. The room was quickly consumed in panic. Presents went tumbling from their neatly stacked perch and one man went flying. Rose urged Donna and Lance under a table to shelter from the deadly decorations.

The Doctor looked up to spot the DJ desk and before running off towards it. Rose almost called after him to ask him what the bloody hell he thought he was doing, but any attempt at conversation would have been drowned out by the still exploding baubles.

"Oi! Santa! Word of advice. If you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver, don't let him near the sound system." The Doctor taunted.

Rose barely had time to warn the couple to cover their ears when the Doctor jammed the screwdriver into the sound deck and the air was filled with a horrible electronic screeching. The intensity of the sound shook the robots to pieces. The Doctor pulled his screwdriver out and surveyed the chaos. Rose slowly rose to her feet, as the Doctor came over to help her up.

Donna had darted off to help people and Rose went to help, needing to do something other than stand idly by while the Doctor made deductions. 

Donna rejoined the Doctor seeking help from the man. 

"Look at that. Remote control for the decorations, but there's a second remote control for the robots. They're not scavengers anymore."

"So someone's taken possession?" Rose asked coming to join them, unable to be of much help.

"Looks like it."

"Never mind all that. You're a doctor. People have been hurt." Donna interjected.

"Nah, they wanted you alive. Look." The Doctor said chucking a bauble to her. "They're not active now."

"All the same, you could help."

“He’s not that kind of a Doctor.” Rose explained apologetically.

"Got to think of the bigger picture. There's still a signal!" The Doctor said clutching the robot head to his ear before darting off.

Rose quickly followed after him.

"Donna, who is he? Who is that man?" Rose heard Sylvia ask from behind her, before Donna followed after them.

"There's someone behind this, directing the roboforms." The Doctor told Rose as Donna joined them.

"But why is it me? What have I done?" Donna asked impatiently.

"If we find the controller, we'll find that out." The Doctor answered distractedly. "Ooo! It's up there. Something in the sky."

The Doctor still had his sonic pointed at the sky trying to refine the signal, long after Donna had wandered away towards the approaching ambulances.

"Lost it." The Doctor muttered dejectedly.

He darted after Donna. Rose doesn't follow this time. She crossed her arms across her chest as she looked skyward.  _ Christmas Eve, _ She thought.  _ Her first Christmas without her mother. _ And just like that, it all came crashing down all over again. All the emotions she had fought to keep at bay as they struggled to uncover the mystery that was Donna, suddenly crashed through all her barriers.

A hand flew to her mouth to stifle the sob that had escaped. She doesn't get to wallow for long when she heard the Doctor call her. She drew in a deep breath and regained her composure before whirling around to face him. He was still a distance away so he couldn't see her face too clearly thankfully.

"We're going to HC Clements. Lance is giving us a lift." He doesn't say it but he leaves it open in a question.

And once again Rose was reminded of last Christmas. Her first Christmas with this Doctor. How they were both so unsure where they stood with one another. She didn’t want a repeat of that. Rose forced a smile and nodded before making her way over. They had come along way since then she didn't want to lose all of that.

The two time travellers hopped into the back of the car. Rose rested her head against the Doctor's shoulder. All of her energy having been washed away with her tidal wave of emotion. The Doctor wrapped an arm around her and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. Easily figuring that all the emotions that came with saying goodbye to her mother had finally caught up.

* * *

The journey was quick considering it was Christmas eve and London but they finally made it to HC Clements. They all scrambled out. The Doctor in the lead, Rose's hand clutched in his, he immediately began rambling upon reaching the third floor.

"To you lot this might just be a locksmiths, but HC Clements was brought up twenty three years ago by the Torchwood Institute." The Doctor explained having finally reached a computer.

He still didn't relinquish his hold on Rose's hand, typing furiously. Rose squeezed his hand thankfully in between both of her own.

"Who are they?" Donna asked.

"They were behind the Battle of Canary Wharf." The Doctor explained, elaborating when Donna showed no signs of recognition. "Cyberman invasion." He added, still no change in expression.

"Skies over London full of Daleks? Big pepperpot looking things." Rose added trying to be helpful.

Still clueless, she feebly tried to explain her absence of recognition. "Oh, I was in Spain."

"They had Cybermen in Spain. " The Doctor pointed out.

"Scuba diving."

"That big picture, Donna. You keep on missing it." The Doctor added before diving back into his explanation, tugging Rose with him as he dashed to another computer. "Torchwood was destroyed, but HC Clements stayed in business. I think someone else came in and took over the operation." He said punctuating his statement by thumping the computer, reminding Rose of his treatment towards the TARDIS.

"But what do they want with me?" Donna asked exasperated.

The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets - or tried to, still refusing to let go of Rose - he doesn't immediately look at Donna. Almost as if he's stalling. Rose watched him curiously, also interested. She knew that look, whatever had been done to Donna, it was bad news.

"Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy." The 'somehow' leaves Rose slightly wary. "And that's a problem, because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark Times. The only place you'd find a Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS." For some reason the last statement about the heart of the TARDIS, triggered something in Rose. Frowning Rose tried to latch onto the information but it was gone before she could decipher it. "See? That's what happened."

The Doctor let go of Rose's hand to grab something off of the desk.

"Say, that's the TARDIS." He said gesturing to the mug he's picked up.

He bent down to grab something else.

"And that's you." He said holding a pencil.

Rose half watched the demonstration but also unable to entirely focus, something about Lance's reactions don't sit right with her. Shaking it off, she continued to watch the Doctor as he explained.

"The particles inside you activated. The two sets of particles magnetised and whap."

 He shook the mug and the pencil, then dropped the pencil into the mug.  

"You were pulled inside the TARDIS."

"I'm a pencil inside a mug?" Donna managed to say, sounding slightly dazed and not completely following.

"Yes, you are." The Doctor answered swirling the pencil around. "4H. Sums you up." He finished before grabbing Roses hand again and running to another computer. "Lance? What was HC Clements working on? Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?" He asked as he sonicked the computer.

"I don't know, I'm in charge of personnel. I wasn't project manager. Why am I even explaining myself? What the hell are we talking about?" Lance stuttered out quickly getting angry at the questions, sounding awfully defensive to Rose’s ears.

"They make keys, that's the point." The Doctor said distractedly and Rose remembered what she had thought earlier about keys on the rooftop. "And look at this. We're on the third floor." The Doctor briefly explained running to the lift dragging Rose with him, who easily keeps up. She almost starts laughing at his unwillingness to let go of her hand, but rather she’s grateful that he doesn’t.

He'd already called the lift by the time Lance and Donna join him.

"Underneath reception, there's a basement, yes?" The Doctor rushed into the lift. "Then how come when you look on the lift, there's a button marked lower basement? There's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plans. So what's down there, then?" The Doctor said mysteriously.

Rose grinned at him, already liking where this is going. She couldn't help but want this adventure to be over quickly so she could get back to the TARDIS. But that doesn’t mean the thrill of it isn’t as enticing as always, she just couldn’t quite stay in the moment.

"Are you telling me this building's got a secret floor?" Lance interjected unconvinced.

"No, I'm showing you this building's got a secret floor." The Doctor said simply, gesturing to the lift buttons with a nod of his head.

"It needs a key." Donna pointed out as if that ruins the Doctor's whole plan.

"I don't." The Doctor replied sonicing the lower basement button

Rose stepped inside the lift taking the Doctor's hand once more, smiling up at him. He returned her smile with a grin of his own. The Doctor turned back to address the other two.

"Right then. Thanks, you two. We can handle this. See you later." He dismissed.

"No chance, Martian. You're the man who keeps saving my life. I ain't letting you out of my sight." Donna answered sharply, joining them in the lift.

"Going down."

"Lance?"

Rose watched the man closely. She couldn't help the feeling of distrust the man brought out in her. And during her travels she’s learnt to trust her gut instinct, even if her compassion occasionally clouded her judgement.

"Maybe I should go to the police." The would-have-been groom attempted feebly. 

"Inside." Donna barked.

The man followed reluctantly. Rose moved closer to the Doctor to make room, at least that’s the excuse she gave herself.

"To honour and obey?" The Doctor questioned.

Rose nudged him, her expression clearly telling him to behave, though her eyes twinkled with amusement. The Doctor grinned at her in response.

"Tell me about it, mate." Lance answered waspishly.

"Oi."

The lift is consumed in awkward silence as the doors slid shut and the lift descended.

* * *

"Where are we? Well, what goes on down here?" Donna asked.

"Let's find out."

"Do you think Mister Clements knows about this place?"

"The mysterious HC Clements? I think he's part of it." The Doctor responded casually before something caught his eye. "Oh, look. Transport."

Rose sighed as she too spotted the two wheeled scooters. She barely managed to withhold her fond smile at the Doctor's childish excitement. Unfortunately, there was only three scooters so Rose hopped on the back of the Doctor's at his insistence - it was more like whining and Rose had never thought the Doctor looked more like a puppy in his life - not bothering to listen when Rose pointed out that Donna and Lance were getting married and that surely it would make more sense for them to share. Rose wasn't complaining though as she clung to the Doctor's waist in order to not fall off the tiny platform.

One look at Donna from the Doctor was all it took to send her into peals of laughter at the absurdity of the situation, Rose quickly followed as she fought to muffle her giggles into the Doctor's back and the Doctor joined not long after. Leaving Lance to look at them as though they had escaped from a mental asylum.

The Doctor stopped suddenly outside of a door labelled 'Torchwood. Authorised personnel only.' Rose jumped down equally curious as to what Torchwood had hidden. The rage from their last stunt still pumping through her veins. The Doctor quickly spun the wheel, the only thing that was keeping the door locked, and finally pulled the door back to reveal a ladder. The Doctor peered around the small room quickly to see if to contained anything else but unfortunately it did not.

"Wait here. Just need to get my bearings. Don't do anything." The Doctor instructed his finger lingering at Rose when she grinned at him. He lingered on her as if pleading with her to stay put before he turned back to the ladder.

"You'd better come back." Donna called up after him.

"And leave Rose with you? No chance." The Doctor muttered disappearing out of view.

Donna and Lance had a brief conversation amongst themselves to which Rose didn't bother paying attention to.

"Thames flood barrier right on top of us. Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath." The Doctor exclaimed once he had jumped down.

Rose raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't comment further.

"What, there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London landmark?" Donna questions.

"I know. Unheard of." The Doctor replied sarcastically, exchanging a glance with Rose who scoffed.

* * *

The Doctor had led them down the dark, damp corridor into a brightly lit room filled with bubbling tubes.

"Oo, look at this. Stunning!" The Doctor said enthusiastically.

Rose tried to pay attention to the bouncy, bubbly Timelord before her - normally this wouldn't be such a difficult task - but suddenly a pounding headache demanded attention. And instead of watching the Doctor, she was focused on trying to ignore the pain and concentrate on where she was going.

"What does it do?" Donna asked, allowing Rose to refrain from contributing.

"Particle extrusion. Hold on. Brilliant. They've been manufacturing Huon particles. Course, my people got rid of Huons. They unravel the atomic structure." The Doctor said innocently.

"Your people? Who are they? What company do you represent?" Lance interjected.

Even in pain Rose couldn't resist rolling her eyes. She still didn't trust Lance at all.

"Oh, we're sort of uhh- freelancers." The Doctor mumbled distractedly. "But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river. Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they've got the end result, Huon particles in liquid form."

"And that's what's inside me?" Donna asked.

The Doctor picked up a small vial from one of the machines. He twisted a knob on the top. The effect was immediate. The dull ache became a roaring pounding. Rose bit her lip to contain the scream that threatened to burst free as her hands flew to her head, clutching at her temples.

At the same time Donna began to glow in the same golden particles as before. Rose stared, something about it seemed so familiar but she couldn't quite grasp the thought. It slipped away from her as the pain grew stronger. Rose let it go, trying desperately to rid herself of the sudden pain.

"Oh, my God!" Donna exclaimed.

"Genius. Because the particles are inert, they need something living to catalyse inside and that's you." The Doctor said as the gold faded from Donna's body, it took a couple of seconds longer for the pain in Rose's head to dull again. She frowned at that, the two seemed to be linked. "Saturate the body and then. Ha!" Suddenly the Doctor jumped backwards.

"The wedding! Yes, you're getting married, that's it! Best day of your life, walking down the aisle. Oh, your body's a battleground! There's a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, acetylcholine. Wham! go the endorphins. Oh, you're cooking! Yeah, you're like a walking oven. A pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away. The particles reach boiling point. Shazam!" The Doctor's excited prattling is cut off when Donna's hand connects with his cheek.

The Doctor looked flabbergasted. Rose bit back a snigger as she remembered when that had been her mother and he had been another man. 

"What did I do this time?"

"Are you enjoying this?" Donna demanded, before stepping closer and softening her tone. "Right, just tell me. These particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?"

"Yes." The Doctor said weakly after a moment’s hesitation.

"Doctor, if your lot got rid of Huon particles, why did they do that?"

"Because they were deadly." 

"Oh, my God."

"I'll sort it out, Donna. Whatever's been done to you, I'll reverse it. I am not about to lose you."

"Oh, she is long since lost." Another voice piped up in a mixture of hissing, slurring and spitting.

The Doctor and Donna whirled around to face the divide marked 'Lab 003' as it rose from the ground exposing the hole that took up the majority of the space on the other side. Rose walked cautiously towards them as the voice spoke again.

"I have waited so long, hibernating at the edge of the universe until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to waken!"

Rose heard footsteps and turned to see Lance flee in the middle of the ominous voice's speech. Rose narrowed her eyes after him, before turning back to the Doctor. She definitely didn't trust him but she would give him the benefit of the doubt and hope her instincts were wrong. For now.

Several black robed robot turned to train their guns on the small trio. Donna looked panicked but Rose wasn't fazed this was normal for them. She was more worried about the headache brewing and the tingeing in her gut. The Doctor ignored it and stepped forward to look over the edge of the chasm.

"Someone's been digging. Oh, very Torchwood. Drilled by laser. How far down does it go?" The Doctor questioned bitterly.

"Down and down, all the way to the centre of the Earth!"

And for a moment Rose remembered another similar Torchwood venture that lead to an incident with Satan. And the blind panic from that trip still hadn’t completely left her so that line of thinking definitely wasn’t helping right now.

"Really? Seriously? What for?"

"Dinosaurs." Donna input helpfully.

"What?" 

"That film Journey to the centre of the Earth, the one with the dinosaurs in. It's on the TARDIS." Rose added.

"What are you on about, dinosaurs?" The Doctor inquired.

"Trying to help." Donna explained meekly.

"Have you actually watched any of the films on the TARDIS?"

"Not the time, Rose. And that's not helping."

"Such a sweet couple." Rose raised an eyebrow at that, who exactly were they referring to.

"Only a madman talks to thin air and trust me, you don't want to make me mad. Where are you?" The Doctor threatened.

"High in the sky. Floating so high on Christmas night." The voice answered ominously.

"I didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom. Come on, let's have a look at you!"

"Who are you with such command?" The voice snarled.

"I'm the Doctor."

"Prepare your best medicines, doctor man, for you will be sick at heart."

A flash of blue appeared off to the side of the hole. As the shape solidified the light faded. There in its place, stood a massive red spider with six eyes, a vaguely humanoid torso, a head shaped oddly like a crown and it’s teeth were jagged and sharp which explained the hissing and spitting that Rose thought was more suited for a snake than a spider.

"Racnoss? But that's impossible. You're one of the Racnoss?" The Doctor proclaimed in disbelief.

"Empress of the Racnoss." The spider stated proudly. And maybe that was something to be proud of but Rose had not the faintest clue what the bloody hell a Racnoss was and she was far too tired to ask.

"If you're the Empress, where's the rest of the Racnoss? Or, are you the only one? " The Doctor deduced.

"Such a sharp mind."

"That's it, the last of your kind. The Racnoss come from the Dark Times, billions of years ago. Billions. They were carnivores, omnivores. They devoured whole planets." The Doctor explained to her and Donna.

"Racnoss are born starving. Is that our fault?"

"They eat people?" Donna asked, shocked.

"HC Clements, did he wear those, those er, black and white shoes?" The Doctor asked Donna, Rose had already spotted what had triggered the question. Her hand flew to her mouth, the nausea was not helping with the still present headache.

"He did. We used to laugh. We used to call him the fat cat in spats." Donna chuckled.

The Doctor pointed to the web covered ceiling were two black and white covered feet poked out.

"Oh, my God!" Donna exclaimed in horror.

"Mmm. My Christmas dinner." The Racnoss hissed, cackling.

"You shouldn't even exist. Way back in history, the fledgling Empires went to war against the Racnoss they were wiped out."

Rose spotted it the moment Donna did. Lance creeping along the runway behind the Racnoss, wielding something in his right hand. Rose's eyes narrowed distrustful at him.

"Except for me."

"But that's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing. Oi! Look at me, lady, I'm talking. Where do I fit in? How comes I get all stacked up with these Huon particles? Look at me, you! Look me in the eye and tell me." Donna snapped, eyes drifting to Lance occasionally.

"The bride is so feisty."

Lance continued to creep closer to the Racnoss, Rose could now see that he was carrying a fire axe in his hand.

"Yes, I am! And I don't know what you are, you big thing, but a spider's just a spider and an axe is an axe! Now, do it!" The redhead commanded.

As Lance started to swing the axe, an expression filled with rage consuming his face the Empress turned, spotting him, she hissed at him. Lance stopped, dropping the arm holding the axe and began to cackle, the Empress joined in.  

"That was a good one. Your face." Lance laughed.

"Lance is funny." Declared the Racnoss.

"What?" Donna asked bewildered.

"I'm sorry." The blonde said coming to rest her hand on Donna's arm to comfort her.

"Sorry for what? Lance, don't be so stupid! Get her!" The bride yelled.

"God, she's thick. Months I've had to put up with her. Months. A woman who can't even point to Germany on a map." He taunted.

"I don't understand."

"How did you meet him?" The Timelord asked, having pieced the last piece of the puzzle that was Donna perhaps some time ago now.

"In the office." Donna stated.

"He made you coffee." 

"What?"

"Every day, I made you coffee."

"You had to be dosed with liquid particles over six months." The Doctor elaborated.

"He was poisoning me." Realisation finally dawned on the red head.

 "It was all there in the job title. The Head of Human Resources." The Doctor spat in disgust.

"This time, it's personnel." Lance joked.

He and the Racnoss chuckled.

"But, we were getting married." Donna said dejectedly.

Rose tightened her grip around the poor woman’s shoulders.

"Well, I couldn't risk you running off. I had to say yes. And then I was stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavour Pringle. Oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap yap yap. Oh, Brad and Angelina. Is Posh pregnant? X Factor, Atkins Diet, Feng Shui, split ends, text me, text me, text me. Dear God, the never ending fountain of fat, stupid trivia. I deserve a medal." Lance spat.

Rose's dislike for the man quickly grew to hatred, her hand slipped from Donna’s arm as she moved as if to tackle the infuriating man. The Doctor stopped her, pulling her back by a hand on her waist and she suddenly remembered the gigantic hole in the floor, that she’d forgotten in her rage.

"Oh, is that what she's offered you? The Empress of the Racnoss? What are you, her consort?" His hand still around her waist as if he didn’t trust that she wouldn’t try running after Lance again, not that she was complaining, it was a welcome distraction from her headache and rage.

"It's better than a night with her." Lance explained cruelly.

"But I love you." Donna said softly.

"That's what made it easy. It's like you said, Doctor. The big picture. What's the point of it all if the human race is nothing? That's what the Empress can give me. The chance to go out there. To see it. The size of it all. I think you understand that, don't you, Doctor?"

"Who is this little physician?" The Racnoss questioned.

"She said, Martian."

"Oh, I'm sort of homeless. But the point is, what's down here? The Racnoss are extinct. What's going to help you four thousand miles down? That's just the molten core of the Earth, isn't it?" The Doctor said dismissing the question, Rose thought it odd it wasn’t often he lied about his home planet. Perhaps it held some significance to the Racnoss.

"I think he wants us to talk."

"I think so, too."

"Well, tough! All we need is Donna."

"Kill this chattering little doctor man and his sidekick." Fury stirred in Rose's stomach at that, as well as something else.

"Don't you hurt him!" Donna shouted stepping in front of them.

"No, no, Donna. It's all right."

"No, I won't let them." She said adamantly.

"At arms!" The Racnoss spat.

The robots turned, training their guns at the Doctor and Rose.

"Ah, now. Except." The Doctor interrupted.

"Take aim!" The Racnoss called.

"Well, I just want to point out the obvious." The time traveller attempted, again.

"They won't hit the bride. They're such very good shots." The Empress boasted.

"Just, just, just, just, just hold on. Hold on just a tick. Just a tiny little, just a little tick. If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside my spaceship. So reverse it, and the spaceship comes to her."

The Doctor turned the knob on the Huon container as his arm dropped away from her waist, the golden light engulfed Donna's figure and Rose's headache returned with a vengeance. She wasn't quite able to contain the pain this time, and a whimper squeezed it's way past her lips that was thankfully, covered by the chaos surrounding them.

"Fire!"

The TARDIS built itself around them like a dark, dense cloud of smoke. Shouting and shooting continued to sound from outside the wooden doors. The Doctor darted past them to the console, dumping the vial into his pockets.

"Off we go."

Rose slouched against the nearest coral strut, in her best attempt at not collapsing altogether, as she fought to catch her breath and wait for the pain to subside.

"Oh, do you know what I said before about time machines? Well, I lied. And now we're going to use it. We need to find out what the Empress of the Racnoss is digging up. If something's buried at the planet's core, it must've been there since the beginning. That's just brilliant. Molto bene." The Doctor rambled as they hurtled through the time vortex.

Donna perched on the captain's chair, her back facing the Doctor as she tried to stifle her sobs. Rose noticed before the Doctor did. Thankful that her headache had dulled until it was almost non-existent, Rose made her way over to Donna. Rose wrapped her arms around Donna's quivering shoulder.

"I've always wanted to see this. Donna, we're going further back than I've ever been before." The Doctor continued, finally taking note of Donna's upset.

"We've arrived. Want to see?" The Doctor asked gently, peering cautiously around the console at them.

"I suppose." Donna replied wiping at her eyes.

"Oh, that scanner's a bit small. Maybe your way's best." He said going to the door.

"Come on. No human's ever seen this. You'll be the first." He encouraged in an attempt to take her mind off it.

"All I want to see is my bed." She said disentangling herself from Rose, a sentiment she could agree with.

Rose trailed behind her as she made her way to the door.

"Donna Noble, Rose Tyler, welcome to the creation of the Earth." The Doctor exclaimed dramatically.

He pulled open the doors exposing the lumps of rocks and dust floating around a weakly burning sun.

"We've gone back four point six billion years. There's no solar system, not yet. Only dust and rocks and gas. That's the Sun, over there. Brand new. Just beginning to burn."

"Where's the Earth?"

"All around us in the dust."

Rose thought distantly back to her first trip in the TARDIS when she’d watched the planet burn, and now she got to see it be born right in front of her eyes. Time travel really was insane. Though it did make her miss her first Doctor, her eyes drifted over to the Doctor before her and she quickly dismissed those thoughts. She’d already loved and lost that Doctor no use dwelling on it.

"Puts the wedding in perspective. Lance was right. We're just tiny."

"No, but that's what you do. The human race makes sense out of chaos. Marking it out with weddings and Christmas and calendars. This whole process is beautiful, but only if it's being observed."

"So I came out of all this?"

"Isn't that brilliant?"

A larger rock drifted past the open TARDIS doors.

"I think that's the Isle of Wight." Donna joked weakly.

They chuckled.

"Eventually, gravity takes hold. Say, one big rock, heavier than the others, starts to pull other rocks towards it. All the dust and gas and elements get pulled in. Everything, piling in until you get..." The Doctor trailed off.

"The Earth."

"But the question is, what was that first rock?"

A seven pointed star, spaceship - that appears to be covered in webs - came out of the dust clouds.

"Look."

"The Racnoss."

The Doctor darted back over to the console, pulling levers he shouted over his shoulder to the two girls.

"Hold on. The Racnoss are hiding from the war. What's it doing?"

"Exactly what you said." Rose said weakly, finally speaking up, as sick realisation dawned on her.

The rocks and dust swirled around the spaceship. Trapping it.

"Oh, they didn't just bury something at the centre of the Earth. They became the centre of the Earth. The first rock."

A resounding bang echoed through the console room as the TARDIS juddered. The Doctor closed the TARDIS doors, shutting out the sight forever, before either woman could go toppling out.

"Doctor! What was that?" Rose called as she clung to the railing.

"Trouble." He answered simply.

The TARDIS continued to shake throwing her occupants about in the process.

"What the hell's it doing?" Donna yelled.

Rose and Donna clung to the console.  _ God, this was worse than the Doctor's usual driving. _ Rose thought absently. The Doctor pulled himself up from the grating and began his usual dance around the console if only slightly more manic.

"Remember that little trick of mine, particles pulling particles. Well, it works in reverse. They're pulling us back!"

"Well, can't you stop it? Hasn't it got a handbrake? Can't you reverse or warp or beam or something?" Donna demanded.

"Back seat driver." The Doctor grumbled to Rose with a pointed look, Rose chuckled. "Oh! Wait a minute! The extrapolator!" He said suddenly as he remembered.

The Doctor pulled out the odd looking surfboard that Rose knew was technology more complex than she could possibly dream of understanding.

"It can't stop us, but it should give us a good bump!" The Doctor explained.

"Now!" The Doctor yelled hitting the extrapolator with a mallet at the same moment the TARDIS dematerialised.  

The Doctor pulled back the doors to reveal the same dark, damp corridor with its eerie green light as before.

"We're about two hundred yards to the right. Come on!"

The Doctor sprinted down the corridor before Rose and Donna could properly register the instruction. Rose quickly followed after but Donna was left quite a distance behind not used to so much running and it was not made easier by her bridal attire.

"But what do we do?" Donna asked once they had stopped in front of the same bulkhead as earlier.

"I don't know. I make it up as I go along. But trust me, I've got a history."

Donna looked to Rose questionably, Rose nodded unable to get out much more as she panted for breath, this close to the lab her head was starting to throb dully again. The Doctor whipped out a stethoscope which he proceeded to use on the Torchwood door. Rose refrained from commenting.

"But I still don't understand. I'm full of particles, but what for?"

"There's a Racnoss web at the centre of the Earth, but my people unravelled their power source. The Huon particles ceased to exist but the Racnoss were stuck."

A robot dressed in black garbs came up behind Donna and grabbed her. Rose whirled round in time to spot Donna being dragged down a corridor. Rose sprinted down the corridor after them on impulse unthinkingly.

“Doctor.” She called over her shoulder but it was lost as the Doctor to ramble to himself.

Rose kept her distance and managed to stay silent as she followed behind them. She slowed down as she neared the green doors emblazoned with the Torchwood logo. She crept inside the laboratory and watched from within the shadows. It didn't seem she'd be much help to Donna at the moment, as the woman hung from the ceiling cocooned in webs.

The couple were both ensnared by webs and appeared to be bickering, if their spiteful expressions were anything to go by. The Racnoss taunted them with freedom and badly veiled wedding references. The bride and groom appeared to want nothing more than to be away from each other. Rose bit back a snort at the irony of that. Rose had been paying attention to the conversation - but something about being back in the lab brought forth her headache - when she suddenly heard the Empress call.

"Activate the particles. Purge every last one."

That was all it took to make Donna and Lance glow in that familiar golden dust. It was also all it took for Rose headache to roar with fury. Rose grit her teeth determined to stay hidden. But then the Empress called again.

"And release!"

The Huon particles zoomed straight down into the hole so kindly dug by Torchwood. But Rose didn't notice. The pain consumed every one of her senses as she dropped to her knees. She clutched her head, lips open in a silent scream. She was burning. Every fibre of her being felt like it was being ripped apart and sewn shoddily back together again before being ripped apart again in a continuous torturous cycle. Very quickly every atom was engulfed in the unforgiving flames. The steady stream of tears down her cheeks did nothing to lessen the pain.

Rose couldn't hear anything except the screaming inside her own head. She wanted nothing more than for it to stop. She must have gotten her wish because not even five minutes after the pain had started black dots swam across her vision quickly filling her sight with nothing but darkness. She collapsed, in a dark shadowy corner against the concrete of the secret lab, her last thought of the Doctor as she’d once again wandered off and gotten into trouble.

* * *

A lone robot entered the laboratory and began a steady ascent of the staircase.

"My children are climbing towards me and none shall stop them. So you might as well unmask, my clever little doctor man."

The robot cocked it’s head in question before removing the robot mask and robe to reveal the Doctor. 

"Oh well. Nice try. I've got you, Donna!"

He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the cocooned Donna, and the web started to give way.

"I'm going to fall!" Donna panicked.

"You're going to swing! I've got you!"

Screaming, Donna swung across the hole, past the Empress and stopped underneath the landing where the Doctor is standing. The strand of web she was clinging to too long as it had stretched in the process and she dropped to the ground with a clang.

"Oh. Sorry." The Doctor said apologetically from above.

"Thanks for nothing." Donna snarked from where she was led on the floor, gathering her wedding dress she stood.

"The doctor man amuses me." The Racnoss stated gleefully, drawing the Doctor's attention back to her.

With the Doctor preoccupied with the beastly alien spider, Donna's eyes roamed the laboratory. She spotted a familiar blonde crumpled on the floor.

"Oh my god." She muttered to herself as she darted over to her.

The girl's skin was glowing. Golden particles flowed across her like water, in gentle waves. Donna clutched the girl to her as she checked for a pulse. Her heart beating frantically in her chest. Donna tried to reign in her panic. The Doctor said the particles were deadly and here was the young blonde collapsed against the concrete as the golden energy moved freely. Donna whipped around to face the Doctor he must be able to help. His people destroyed Huon energy. But how had this happened?

The Doctor appeared to be trying to negotiate peace with the Racnoss. Donna realised she'd get no help from him. The young traveller's heart rate picked up as she began wheezing and tossing in Donna's hold. The particles moved more frantically, even extending from her figure in gentle tendrils.

Donna was too busy worrying over the blonde to notice the Doctor's sudden change in demeanour. She barely heard the sound of explosions as Rose wreathed in her grasp and her skin burned to the touch. Donna adjusted the girl's jacket to cover all exposed skin.

Suddenly, she took notice of the Racnoss' howls and the water sloshing around the two of them and quickly engulfing the lab. She noticed the fires and the Doctor standing indifferent above it all. And just as it became too much Donna's attention was drawn away by the blonde cradled in her lap.

The frantic movements and the wheezing has stopped. The glow was fading. Donna reached a hand to the girl's forehead. No longer burning but still higher than normal. And drenched as she was, she was likely to have a fever when she woke up.

"Doctor! You can stop now!" Donna called from where she was huddled on the floor.

The Doctor finally noticed the slumped figure of Rose Tyler in the bride’s lap. His eyes widen in panic and fear. His mouth flapped uselessly a couple of times as water poured down his face. He quickly made a decision.

"Come on. Time I got you two out." He called as he descended the staircase.

Donna shifted so she was kneeling with Rose still unconscious in her lap. The Doctor reached them and scooped Rose up. Together they exit the laboratory - with Rose coddled against The Doctor's chest - out into the Thames flood barrier. They barely heard the Racnoss' final howls as they escape.

"Transport me!"

"But what about the Empress?" Donna asked as they climbed the staircase higher and higher further away from the carnage the Doctor had wrought belong with every step.

"She's used up all her Huon energy. She's defenceless!"

The Doctor watched as the army blasted the Racnoss' ship apart. A voice in the back of his head niggled at him as it demanded attention.  _ This wasn't how he does things. _ It whispered. Part of the Doctor wondered if it was because he didn't have Rose to pull him back when it was too much but this part was so small that it was easily covered by all the other thoughts rushing about in his head. Had Rose been awake she may have commented that it was lucky Donna was there to put a stop to it before it got worse.

As they clambered out onto the flood barrier they whooped with delight. Donna clung to the Doctor's arm to ensure neither fell as the Doctor was unable to do much with his arms clinging to Rose's prone form. As their laughter died down, Donna spoke.

"Oh my god... There's just...Just one problem." She spoke breathlessly from the climb.

"What is it?"

"We've drained the Thames." 

They looked around themselves to find nothing but muddy, marshland. Boats honked from somewhere - probably stranded - they fell into peals of laughter once more.

* * *

The TARDIS was parked on a quiet street in Chiswick. The doors swung open leaving a slant of light on the road. Donna stepped out of the Tardis, the Doctor followed after leaving the door open to keep an eye on Rose from where she lay delicately on the captain's chair.

"There we go. Told you she'd be alright. She can survive anything." The Doctor said, referring to the TARDIS.

"More than I've done." Donna said bitterly.

He whipped out his sonic to give her a quick scan. The results confirmed what he had assumed.

"No, all the Huon particles have gone. No damage, you're fine."

"Yeah, but apart from that, I missed my wedding, lost my job and became a widow on the same day. Sort of."

"I couldn't save him."

"He deserved it.” She paused for a second before her compassion won out and she corrected herself. “No, he didn't. I'd better get inside. They'll be worried."

"Best Christmas present they could have."

Through the window Donna's parents, Sylvia and Geoff, could be seen hugging each other.

* * *

While the Doctor and Donna bid farewells, Rose slept. Though it could hardly be considered a slumber as more of a healing coma. But one voice crept into her unconscious.

_ "Wolf..." _ An ethereal voice whispered coaxing Rose to arise.

_ "Wolf." _ The same voice came again.

Rose blinked open tired eyes. Eyebrows furrowed, as she took in the sight before her. There was nothing. But a realm of golden light it seemed. Rose spun in a circle. By the time she was facing the same direction again, a figure was stood there.

It was a woman. She had brown hair that floated in the golden aura surrounding her, her expression was calm and serene and she wore a loose white dress that was similar to that of a Grecian toga.

_ "Wolf." _ She whispered again, her voice a little stronger now but still the breathy quality remained.  _ "My wolf." _

"Who are you? Why am I here? I wa-" Rose's questions were cut off.

_ "None of that matters right now. You are here because exposure to Huon particles has awoken our connection." _

"Connection? What connection? Who  _ are _ you?" 

_ "I am the TARDIS, so to speak. And the connection that was formed when you became Bad Wolf."  _ She paused on those last two words as if they had more meaning.

Suddenly, memories Rose didn't know she had flashed through her mind rapidly. She sunk to her knees and clutched at her head as she watched the memories fly past.

_ Looking into the heart of the TARDIS. The TARDIS looking back into her. Their joint desire to save the Doctor. Destroying the Dalek Emperor and the Dalek fleet. Resurrecting Jack from the dead. _

And that's where it stopped. Rose knew there was more but she couldn't see it, it was like it was being kept hidden from her. Rose panted as the memories cleared and looked back up at the regal figure. Her lips were pursed slightly she appeared to be worried.

"Bad Wolf was ages ago. I haven't felt anything since so why now?"

The woman took in a deep breath.

_ "On the Game Station, you were dying. You had absorbed the time vortex and that should have killed anyone almost immediately. But we were bonded - if you like - allowing me to use you to save my thief, and you to use my power to fix everything. The bond was the only reason you were able to sustain that power for so long. The bond changed you, fixed you, so you'd be able to constantly access that power. _

_ "However, Huon particles are deadly. And you had absorbed more than what came with the bond, thus it was killing you. Your Doctor removed the time vortex from your head and locked away the memories." _

"But it didn't work because I remember being Bad Wolf before today, so how did that happen?"

_ "The memories were slowly awakened when you met that werewolf in Scotland. You needed access to those memories for when the Battle of Canary Wharf came. It wasn't always certain that both you and my Thief would make it out of it together. The timelines were in flux. Having access to the memories meant you could call upon our bond, even temporarily, allowing you to cement the timelines into what they are. _

_ "However, at that point, the bond wasn't strong enough for you to sustain the energy for long. The Huon energy levels in your blood were too low, causing you to fall unconscious. The exposure to different Huon particles today, strengthened our bond. But that does not mean you have access to Bad Wolf." _

"What? Why not? And I don't remember Bad Wolf making an appearance at the Battle of Canary Wharf."

_ "The different types of Huon particles must be neutralised, that's why you are currently stuck in a healing coma."  _ She said gesturing around them before continuing.  _ "The timelines are still in flux. Although you cemented the events at Canary Wharf, something else is coming. And Bad Wolf must  _ **_not_ ** _ be exposed until I tell you it is safe. You must understand this my Wolf, it is important. My Thief cannot know either." _ The voice was stern yet still light and airy.

Rose assumed the Doctor was 'Her Thief'. Rose nodded gently as she tried to take all this information in.

"If the Doctor can’t know does that mean he doesn't remember what happened at Canary Wharf, either?"

_ "No, he doesn't." _

She looked off into the distance for a moment as if she was listening to something.

_ "I must go. You need to heal, My Wolf." _ And with that she disappeared.

"Wait! Wai-"

Darkness consumed Rose was more as her eyelids flickered, her eyes rolling back into her head and her body slumped ungracefully to the floor.

She wanted answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I was going to do an episode per chapter but this got ridiculously long so all coming episodes will be split into at least 2 chapter. Don't forget to let me know your thoughts in the comments :)


	3. An Odd Couple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Donna safely home, Rose begins to grieve the loss of her mother. But when the Doctor and her run it into one Martha Jones, she realises just how much is about to change.

**Chapter Three:** An Odd Couple.  
**S** **eries:** Three.  
**E** **pisode:** One - Smith and Jones.   
**Part:**  One.

After saying his farewells to Donna, the Doctor had scooped Rose up off of the captain's chair and taken her into the infirmary. Whereas before her skin had been too hot it was now icy. The Doctor had run multiple scans but they had all concluded the same thing. Diagnosis: Fever. Aside from that, it would seem she was in perfect health.

Rose had asked almost immediately upon waking what had happened to Donna the Doctor had awkwardly informed her that she hadn’t wanted to come. And though Rose was sure there was more to it than that, her mind had been so foggy from her fever that she hadn’t pushed for more. Though she had been disappointed, she thought the ginger woman would have made an excellent friend and companion.

The Doctor insisted they didn't go on any adventures just yet. And though Rose could tell it was driving him insane - and the TARDIS certainly didn't approve of the extra repairs - she was grateful. It gave her time to properly grieve and to get over her fever. They went on a couple of trips but they were all very safe and touristy. The Doctor had made the TARDIS promise to hold off on all life and death situations until Rose was better. And the TARDIS was not about to take that risk with Her Wolf.

And that was how it stayed for the three weeks after they had met Donna. But now even Rose was getting unbearably restless. Besides she had to empty out her mother's flat. When Rose told the Doctor as much he whined and complained that her fever wasn't completely gone. But the TARDIS medbay scans quickly disproved that. So with a grumble, the Doctor set the coordinates.

* * *

 

Rose and the Doctor arrived a couple of days after the Battle of Canary Wharf but before they’d met Donna. And together they had quickly emptied Jackie's flat of anything sentimental - photo albums, their favourite mugs, the odd magnet Jackie had collected as well as a few more meaningful items of clothing - and left everything else behind. As far as officials knew Rose and Jackie Tyler had died in the Battle of Canary Wharf or at the very least Jackie had as most people still thought Rose was off travelling.

It would have been easier if people had believed Rose was dead too. It would have made the dreaded clean-up easier. But unfortunately for the two time-travellers, they had run into one Shareen Costello as they were carrying boxes to the TARDIS. The young woman managed to wheedle out a promise to come to dinner out of Rose as well as demanding that the Doctor attend also before they were sent on their way.

After carting all of her sentimentals into the TARDIS, Rose had had a craving for chips. Which was how they had ended up walking through Chancery Street a portion of chip each in hand. It was as they were passing the Royal Hope hospital that the Doctor brought them to a halt by their conjoined hands.

Rose turned and looked back at him curiously as he stared intensely at the Hospital.

"What? What is it?"

"Plasma coils." The Doctor answered distractedly as he waved his hand around in the air in front of the hospital.

"And that's bad?" Rose asked, unsure.

"Dunno. Could be. Let's go check it out." The Doctor said going to rush into the hospital before Rose pulled him back by their adjoined hands.

"And how are we gonna do that? I don't have to be a dinner lady again, do I?" Rose questioned sternly, daring the Doctor to make her be a dinner lady again.

The Doctor chuckled.

"Nah, we'll just sign in as patients." He said going to rush off again and once again Rose tugged him back.

"Sufferin' from what? It's probably only gonna be a quick visit so it can't be anythin' to serious but we still need to get in."

"Stomach pains." The Doctor offered as if it were obvious.

This time Rose let him drag her into the hospital but she made a point of arguing under her breath about the fact that she would have to do it because he was a bloody alien and did he even have any official records? And no, Rose didn't think he could get away with using the psychic paper to fake all of those documents.

Rose quickly filled in the necessary documents and handed it back to the receptionist with a smile. The Doctor had told her to sign her name as 'Rose Smith' and then proceeded to slip a plain gold band. To which Rose had raised eyebrows at and asked how many of those he had, as she remembered the one he gave to Donna. She only got an awkward shuffle at that. Rose had rolled her eyes with a fond smile and refrained from further teasing as she slipped it on.

A couple of hours past before she was finally admitted, given a bed and a change of clothes. Rose grumbled as she held the generic striped pyjamas she was supposed to wear. She ordered the Doctor to turn around before changing and slipping into the bed.

"Stay here, I'll be right back." The Doctor whispered.

Rose grabbed his arm as he turned to leave.

"Oh no, you don't! Where are you going?" Rose hissed quietly, not wanting to give themselves away quite so soon.

"To have a look around. See what the plasma coils are for, or what's causing them."

"So I'm supposed to stay here while you snoop around." Rose questioned, with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes. You're a patient can't have you wandering around otherwise they'll think you're fine and then we'll learn nothing."

"Fine. Just this once, don't think you'll get away with it next time." Rose warned as she slipped back in bed, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

The Doctor grinned and gave her hand a quick squeeze.

"I promise. See you in a bit." He said slipping out of the curtains.

Rose sighed, leaning back into the cushions. She pulled her jacket out of the little bedside cabinet. She rummaged quickly through her pockets - the Doctor had fixed them so they were bigger on the inside after multiple instances of her things getting lost inside his pockets when she’d asked him to look after them - until she produced a book. 'Animal Farm by George Orwell'. Resigned to the fact that there would be no running for her today, Rose opened her book and settled in for another quiet day of reading.

* * *

 

By the time the Doctor came back, Rose had fallen into a light slumber that was quickly disturbed by the Doctor trying to get through the stiff papery curtains.

"Find anything?" Rose asked sitting up.

"No. Nothing. Whatever is causing the plasma coils isn't hidden in the hospital but they're getting stronger."

"So it should only take a couple of days then?" Rose asked hopefully.

She had been stuck in the TARDIS for three weeks she didn't want to be bedridden for half as long as that.

"Oh yeah. We should have figured it out in the next couple of days." The Doctor said adamantly.

"Good."

* * *

 

Two days in fact. It was two days later that the purpose of the plasma coils became clear. Two days of waiting around in bed while the Doctor snooped. Two days of horrible hospital food and invasive questions.

The day had started as it had for the past two days. But instead of nurses bustling in and out, asking questions, it was instead a group of medical students. The Doctor hadn't left for his daily snooping yet as it was still fairly early and having heard approaching footsteps they had halted any conversation and Rose had instead pulled out another book.

The curtain was drawn back by a beaming old man in a suit, who Rose knew to be, Mr Stoker. The medical students follow after him like sheep as they cluster around the bed. Rose resisted a smile at the imagery. She had been lucky enough to not have been visited by medical students so far, it seemed her luck had run out.

"Now then, Mrs Smith, a very good morning to you. How are you today?"

"Aw, not so bad, been better." Rose chuckled.

"Rose Smith admitted two days ago with severe abdominal pains. Jones, why don't you see what you can find? Amaze me." A young woman with dark skin and straight black hair stepped forward.

"That wasn't very clever, running around outside, was it?" The medical student said looking pointedly at both of them.

"Sorry?" Rose asked when the Doctor looked just confused.

"On Chancery Street this morning. You came up to me asked me if I wanted your chips." The women said, bewildered.

"Really? What did we do that for?" The Doctor said.

"I don't know, you just did." 

"Not us. We were here, I was in bed. Ask the nurses." Rose spoke.

"Well, that's weird, cause it looked like you two."

"Weird."

"As time passes and I grow ever more infirm and weary, Miss Jones."

"Sorry. Right."

The medical student put the stethoscope to Rose chest, she tried not to flinch at the cold metal.

"Diagnosis, Miss Jones?"

"Um. I don't know. She could be pregnant?"

"No. Sorry. Infertile." Rose quickly input, already seeing the Doctor begin to shift uneasily in the plastic hospital chairs. Clearly, he hadn't thought this plan all the way through.

The woman's face flushed and she looked at Rose apologetically. Rose just smiled gently at her.

 "Exactly, and you would have known that had you not rather failed basic techniques by not consulting first with the patient's chart."

He picked up the clipboard but quickly dropped it again on to the bed when he received an electric shock.

"That happened to me this morning." Said the young doctor, Miss Jones, Rose thought her name was.

"I had the same thing on the door handle." A blond haired male pipes up.

"And me, on the lift." An Asian woman added.

The Doctor and Rose exchanged glances, the meaning clear.  _ Did this have something to do with the plasma coils? _

"That's only to be expected. There's a thunderstorm moving in and lightning is a form of static electricity, as was first proven by, anyone?" 

"Benjamin Franklin." The Doctor answered cheerfully.

"Correct!"

"My mate Ben, that was a day and a ha-" Rose poked him swiftly in the side effectively cutting him off.

"Moving on." Announced Mr Stoker after giving them a suspicious glance, to which Rose grinned at.

As the group moved away the Doctor spoke up once more, still nursing his ribs.

"What did you do that for?"

"Do you want to get stuck in the psychiatric ward?"

The Doctor muttered something unintelligible under his breath, turning away from Rose's gaze. Rose chuckled, picking her book back up.

"Go on then. Go snoop."

The Doctor grinned before darting through the curtains. Rose shook her head at his behaviour but was unable to wipe the smile from her lips as she hunkered down to read.

* * *

 

Nothing happened for a good ten/fifteen minutes and Rose was certain that she was going to be spending another day stuck in bed.

Until it started raining.

Nothing seemed wrong with it at first. Though it did strike Rose as odd that not even moments before it had been bright sunshine and now there was torrential rain. But that was also very in line with British weather so she didn't find it particularly suspicious.

But then the rain started going up.

Rose heard the shuffling of feet against the laminated floor before she noticed it. She looked up from her book to notice everyone crowding around the window, doctors and patients alike. Tossing her book aside she got up to see what all the commotion was about.

She'd barely had time to ponder the interesting rain patterns when a wave of pain crashed into her. Her mind burned as a tsunami of images flooded over her.

_ Martha being stopped by the Doctor on Chancellor street as he demonstrates removing his tie before sauntering off. _

_ Martha tending to a bed-bound Doctor. _

_ Martha struggling to suggest a diagnosis with the sound of his duel heartbeat ringing in her ears. _

_ Letisha stood on Chancellor street staring gobsmacked at the crater where Royal Hope hospital once stood. _

_ Martha gazing out of the window to see the Earth in the distance and the hospital embedded on the surface of the moon. _

_ Martha discussing the lack of airtight windows. _

_ The Doctor overhearing her and commending her. _

_ The Doctor and Martha stood on the veranda. _

_ The Doctor launching a pebble off of the veranda only for it to collide with some sort of force field. _

_ Cylindrical spaceships belonging to the Judoon docked on the moon's surface. _

_ Florence draining the blood from Mr Stoker as her two slabs keep him restrained, she talks about her need to absorb salt and terrible deeds to come. _

_ The Judoon scan the inhabitants of the hospital and mark all humans with a clear cross on the back of their hand. _

The words _ 'Shapeshifter'  _ drifted through her mind. Scorching a path through the tidal wave of images.

_ The Doctor and Martha in the radiology room hiding from the slabs as Martha searches frantically through manuals for the correct button. _

Again more words drifted through the torrent of images  _ 'Assimulating'  _ and  _ 'Plasmavore'   _ were among them.

_ Florence is scanned by the Judoon and categorised as 'human'. _

_ The Judoon chase after the Doctor and Martha when he scans as non-human. _

_ The Doctor transfers traces of TNA with Martha via a kiss before dashing off, using Martha as the distraction. _

_ Florence is fiddling with the machines in the MRI room causing a loud buzzing sound to emit, she intends to fry the brain-stems of every living thing on one half of the Earth with a magnetic pulse. _

_ Florence assimulates the Doctor's blood, draining him dry. _

_ Martha starts to apply pulmonary resuscitation techniques before she remembers he has two hearts. _

_ Martha collapses as the Doctor is revived, he unplugs the red wire. _

_ Back on Earth, the Doctor invites Martha along for one trip as a thank you. It inevitably becomes more. _

_ 'Alternate Timelines'. _

Rose gasped as the stream of information ceased. During the short pause she’d somehow ended up on the floor and felt bruised in several places. Standing, she caught her reflection in the window. Her cheeks were flushed, her french braids loose from where she'd gripped the strands but most striking were her eyes.

Her chestnut irises were no more. Instead the golden light, she had come to recognise as Huon particles after their adventure with Donna, shone in their place. Golden veins trailed beneath her eyes. She stared encapsulated at her own reflection. It was weird to think that it was the same face she'd had all her life yet right now it looked so foreign.

She shook her head turning her gaze away from the window, she knew what she'd find anyway. The images clung to her like a bad dream. She turned back to her bed, pulling the curtains back to get dressed. Once she'd donned the blue jeans, a grey t-shirt with a wolf on it (the TARDIS’ idea of a joke) and dark green jacket she stepped out again in time to see the Doctor returning.

"It's real. It's really real. Hold on."

The training doctor reached for the window only to be stopped by her colleague.

"Don't! We'll lose all the air."

"But they're not exactly air tight. If the air was going to get sucked out it would have happened straight away, but it didn't. So how come?" She pointed out.

The Doctor, who had been listening in, finally spoke up. Rose froze in place beside him, those words, words that had echoed in her head just moments ago, now hung in the air. Was it real? Was that how things were going to play out, only one way to find out she supposed.

"Very good point. Brilliant, in fact. What was your name?"

"Martha."

"And it was Jones, wasn't it? Well then, Martha Jones, the question is, how are we still breathing?" He darted over to the window to get a look for himself.

"We can't be."

"Obviously we are, so don't waste my time." Rose jabbed a finger into his side cutting him off with an offended expression.

"Being rude again." She muttered pointedly.

"Good I meant that one." He turned back to the other woman. "Martha, what have we got? Is there a balcony on this floor, or a veranda, or..." He trailed off finally drawing his glare away from a smirking Rose to address the woman in question.

"By the patients' lounge, yeah." She answered watching the two with amusement.

Rose shifted awkwardly under her gaze, the memory of an alternative timeline pulling her off kilter. Instead she shot the other training doctor an apologetic smile for the Doctor’s behaviour. A smile she’d had plenty of practice at unfortunately.

"Fancy going out?"

"Okay."

"We might die." He cautioned her.

Rose watched the woman curiously, she already knew how this would end - if she was to believe that what she had seen was an alternative timeline, that is - yet she still couldn't tear herself away. It was like watching a film that you'd seen a million times before, yet still getting sucked into the suspense of it all.

Except. She hadn’t actually ever seen this, had she?

"We might not." She replied bravely, pulling Rose from her confusing thoughts.

"Good." That seemed to clear up any doubts he had, Rose had always wondered how he decided who were worth travelling with, and now she was about to find out. "Come on. Not her, she'd hold us up."

They pushed through streams of panicking patients and medical professionals. The lounge itself was relatively clear not many in the right state currently for relaxing. The Doctor and Miss Jones pushed the doors open and stepped out onto the veranda. The moon laid out spectacularly before them.

Rose lingered behind them, unsure of her place. She remembered her first adventure with the Doctor and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. But simply knowing what was going to happen felt like she was ruining this moment for Martha. The Doctor looked over his shoulder at her with a look of curiosity, clearly still worried after everything that’d happened recently, he outstretched his hand to her. She gave him a reassuring smile before taking his hand in hers.

She leaned up to whisper into his ear, not wanting to chase the young doctor away so soon.

"How come we've never been to the moon?"

"You never asked. Why? Did you want to?" He suddenly looked panicked, as if it was obvious he should have thought of it sooner.

She chuckled and patted his shoulder. The sound of Martha's wonder pulling her back to reality. It was almost scary how easily she lost track of herself around the Doctor.

"We've got air. How does that work?"

"Just be glad it does." The Doctor answered finally shaking himself free of the momentary panic.

"I've got a party tonight. It's my brother's twenty-first. My mother's going to be really, really..." She trailed off as awe gave way to other emotions.

Rose pulled back from the Doctor slightly at the mention of family.

"You okay? Its a lot to take in." She asked kindly.

"Yeah."

"Sure?" The Doctor checked.

"Yeah."

"Want to go back in?"

"No way. I mean, we could die any minute, but all the same, it's beautiful."

"Do you think?"

They all turned to gaze at the glittering jewel in the distance. Rose felt a sudden pang in her chest. It was ridiculous really, she'd be back soon, she'd promised Shareen. Another part of her knew that it hadn't felt like home for a long time, and now with no Mickey or Jackie waiting for her, she wasn't sure it ever would again.

"How many people want to go to the moon? And here we are."

"Standing in the Earthlight."

Rose smiled at the imagery, her mind once more wandering back to her first trip in the TARDIS.

"What do you think happened?"

"What do you think?" The Doctor asked innocently but Rose saw this for the test it was.

"Extraterrestrial. It's got to be. I don't know, a few years ago that would have sounded mad, but these days? That spaceship flying into Big Ben, Christmas, those Cybermen things. I had a twin sister. Adeola. She worked at Canary Wharf. She never came home."

"I'm sorry." She knew it was an empty platitude as soon as it fell from her lips but she didn’t know what else she could say.

Rose's heart broke for the woman, as many people as they saved, there were still those who didn't make it. She’d never had a sibling, let alone a twin, she couldn’t quite understand the pain she was going through. A thousand faces flashed before her eyes, she swayed on her feet, bombarded by the too real ghosts. She felt someone squeeze her hand, she looked up to see the Doctor staring at her, worry brewing in his brown eyes. She squeezed back before looking away. Guilt clawed at her throat for everything she wasn't saying.

"Yeah."

"I was there, in the battle."

"I promise you, Mr Smith and Mrs Smith, we will find a way out. If we can travel to the moon, then we can travel back. There's got to be a way."

Rose tilted her head in curiosity. It was so weird to hear the promise fall from another's lips.

"It's not Smith. That's not our real names." The Doctor dropped her hand to stalk around the veranda.

Rose crossed her arms across her chest as she leant back against the rough concrete as she watched him.

"Who are you, then?"

"Rose Tyler." She smiled with a wave, at Martha's confusion she elaborated. "We're not married." She muttered.

The woman shot the Doctor a look and then looked back at her as if to say she didn't believe that for a second. Rose smiled wearily.

"I'm the Doctor."

"Me too, if I can pass my exams. What is it then, Doctor Smith?"

"Just the Doctor."

"How do you mean, just the Doctor?"

Rose rubbed at her temples with a tired smile, it was always the same question.

"Just the Doctor."

"What, people call you the Doctor?" She looked to Rose for confirmation.

"Yep." Rose said popping the 'p' with a smile.

"Well, I'm not. As far as I'm concerned, you've got to earn that title." She decided adamantly.

"Well, I'd better make a start, then." Rose passed him the pebble she already knew he would be needing, he smiled but his eyes were full of questions. "Let's have a look. There must be some sort of..."

The pebble once launched off of the veranda collided with seemingly nothing, yet still somehow causing the air to ripple from point of contact.

"Forcefield keeping the air in."

"But if that's like a bubble sealing us in, that means this is the only air we've got. What happens when it runs out? "

"How many people in this hospital?" Rose asked, the image of thousands suffocating still haunting her.

"I don't know. A thousand?"

"One thousand people. Suffocating." Rose barely concealed a flinch at the Doctor’s words.

"Why would anyone do that?" Martha demanded.

After all this time travelling, Rose still didn't know the answer to that one, she didn’t think she ever would.

"Head's up! Ask them yourself."

Three familiar cylindrical spaceships passed overhead. Rose recoiled at the sight, it was starting. And wasn’t that an odd thought. They land nearby on the surface of the moon, outside the barrier of the forcefield. Leather clad aliens came marching out in true military style.

"Aliens. That's aliens. Real, proper aliens."

"Judoon." The name struck another cord within the blonde, well everything had played out as she'd seen thus far.

The Doctor spun on his heel and thundered down the corridor following signs to what Rose assumed was the reception. She sighed.

"Come on we better follow him before he gets himself into trouble."

"Does that happen often?"

Rose threw her head back with laughter at the otherwise innocent question.

"If he had a middle name that would be it."

* * *

 

The two women caught up with the Doctor who was crouched behind some leafy green plants on the mezzanine.

"Oh, look down there, you've got a little shop. I like a little shop." The Doctor babbled happily, Rose smiled as she remembered the conversation from New Earth.

“Not much use now, Doctor. Unless they’re allergic to flowers.”

"Never mind that. What are Judoon?" 

Rose was beginning to admire the young woman, it'd only been a handful of minutes but she was already asking all the right questions after being thrown into an unusual situation.

"They're like police. Well, police for hire. They're more like interplanetary thugs."

"And they brought us to the moon?"

"Neutral territory. According to galactic law, they've got no jurisdiction over the Earth, and they isolated it. That rain, lightning? That was them, using a H2O scoop."

Rose wanted to question him further on the neutral territory thing but now didn't seem like the time.

"What are you on about, galactic law? Where'd you get that from?" The Doctor scrambled to another part of the walkway to get a better look, the two women followed after him. "If they're police, are we under arrest? Are we trespassing on the moon or something?"

The young doctor's spew of questions were getting difficult to keep up with, the thought of two Doctors babbling at a thousand miles per hour with more technical terms than Rose could count made her head hurt but that did nothing to stop the smile that slipped onto her lips.

"No, but I like that. Good thinking. No, I wish it were that simple. They're making a catalogue. That means they're after something non-human, which is very bad news for me." He answered absentmindedly as he quickly assessed the situation.

"Why?" The Doctor raised one eyebrow in answer, Rose fought the urge to laugh at Martha's shocked expression. "Oh, you're kidding me. Don't be ridiculous. Stop looking at me like that."

"Come on then." The Doctor darts away leaving a bewildered doctor in his wake.

"He's joking, right?"

"Not in the slightest."

* * *

 

They caught up with the Doctor in a small darkened office. Rose settled in while the Doctor got to work on the computer, she was never any good with that tech stuff anyway. Martha disappeared back into the corridor for a couple of minutes before returning with news.

"They've reached the third floor. What's that thing?" Martha asked pointedly.

"Sonic screwdriver."

"Well, if you're not going to answer me properly." Rose smirked to herself, she knew that feeling all too well. 

"No, really, it is. It's a screwdriver, and it's sonic. Look."

"What else have you got, a laser spanner?"

"I did, but it was stolen by Emily Pankhurst, cheeky woman."

Martha looked briefly to Rose with a questioning glance, she nodded in affirmation to the Doctor's statement. God, she remembered that day, he'd pouted about it for weeks. She was interrupted from her thoughts by the Doctor smacking the top of the computer in frustration.

"Oh, this computer! The Judoon must have locked it down. Judoon platoon upon the moon. Because we were just getting chips. I swear we were just wandering. We weren't looking for trouble, honestly, we weren't, but I noticed these plasma coils around the hospital, and that lightning, that's a plasma coil. Been building up for two days now, so we checked in. I thought something was going on inside. It turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon up above."

Martha looked slightly bewildered as she tried to keep up with the Doctor's rambling.

"But what were they looking for?"

"Something that looks human, but isn't."

"Like you, apparently."

"Like me. But not me."

"Haven't they got a photo?"

"Well, might be a shape-changer."

That triggered a memory, that word, what was it?  _ Plasmavore _ , her mind whispered to her.

"Whatever it is, can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?"

"If they declare the hospital guilty of harbouring a fugitive, they'll sentence it to execution."

That should have been news to Rose but she already knew it wouldn't be the Judoon that were their biggest problem.

"All of us?" 

"Oh yes. If I can find this thing first. Oh! You see, they're thick! Judoon are thick! They are completely thick! They wiped the records. Oh, that's clever."

"What are we looking for?" 

"I don't know. Say, any patient admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms. Maybe there's a back-up."

"Just keep working. I'll go ask Mister Stoker. He might know."

Part of Rose panicked at the thought of the young doctor going out of sight when there were Judoon and shapeshifting criminals on the loose. But another part of her - the new part of her that seemed to be a fountain of knowledge regarding the events of today - knew she would be safe and was more worried about interfering.

So against her better judgement, she watched the doctor leave, gnawing at a hangnail all the while. A dreadful habit she knew, but one she'd never been able to kick especially since travelling with the Doctor.

"You alright, Rose? You've been awfully quiet." The Doctor asked, still trying to wrangle the computer into showing him what he wanted.

"Yeah just..." She stumbled for a moment trying to sort through the chaos in her mind in order to give an answer that wouldn’t give away too much, the TARDIS’ warning still echoing in her mind. "Just how do you know who to take?"

It was something she'd wondered many a time and seeing as she had been staring into the face of a possible companion for at least an hour now, now seemed as good a time as any to finally prose the question.

"Well I- you know I only take the best." The Doctor seemed to falter as well, perhaps unsure of how or maybe it's just something he  _ knows _ .

But it felt like the easy answer. Unwilling to commit. But she'd known the Doctor for a long time now, she should be used to non-answers.

And maybe a part of her was jealous because in another timeline she and the Doctor are separated and he replaces her with this quite frankly brilliant woman. Educated, ambitious, clever, brave and quick enough to keep up with the Doctor. A reminder of all her silly little human insecurities that have plagued her, her whole life due to her class come bubbling to the surface in a way that’s so very reminiscent of their trip with Madame de Pompadour. And really she knows that none of that matters out there in the big wide universe, nonsense human conventions that have no place amongst the stars. But insecurities die hard they are, after all, the nastiest kind of habit.

So maybe just this once she wanted an actual answer, she wanted to understand what goes on in that big Timelord brain of his, even if it's just to settle her own mind. And yes maybe that was selfish, but Jimmy Stone had taught her to be selfish in some backhanded way but he'd also bred most of the insecurities that lurked in the darkest corners of her mind as well.

"I chose you lot because my people believed you to be beneath us but so often you prove them wrong. The best of humanity, so brave and curious about the universe, but also so very reckless. How could I resist? And not everyone comes, their fear and responsibilities stronger than the curiosity. In a way I see myself in you lot." The Doctor finally divulged if a little reluctantly as he always was when sharing anything the slightest bit personal, as if aware of Rose’s inner turmoil, perhaps he was.

Well, that settled it then.

Resolved strengthened, she was pulled back to the present by the Doctor's triumphant shout.

"Good news?"

He leapt from his seat in lieu of answering her as he darted past into the corridor.

"Got it."

He crashed into a wide-eyed Martha, with Rose following behind.

"I've restored the back-up."

"I found her."

"You did what?" The Doctor deflated, an opportunity to show off lost, Rose thought to herself in amusement.

Two men dressed in identical black leather biker outfits come crashing into the corridor.

"Run!" 

The three of them take off down the slippery hospital corridors, darting out of the way of crumpled patients as they go. They start down the stairs but almost collide with the Judoon on their way up, sandwiched between two very different problems they take a diversion down another corridor.

**_ Well this is just great _ , Rose thought to herself,  _ what the hell are they going to deal with first? _ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: TO BE CONTINUED. So what did you think of the first look at Rose's new power? I have been putting this chapter off forever after how long the last one ended up being. Let me know if there are any spelling mistakes my laptop was playing up when I was writing this.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts in the comments below :)


	4. Just One Trip.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose uses her knowledge of an alternative timeline to save the day and convinces the Doctor to say thank you to Martha.

**Chapter Th:** Just One Trip.   
**Series:** Three.   
**Episode:** One - Smith and Jones.   
**Part:** Two.

_Two men dressed in identical black leather biker outfits come crashing into the corridor._

_"Run!"_

_The three of them take off down the slippery hospital corridors, darting out of the way of crumpled patients as they go. They start down the stairs but almost collide with the Judoon on their way up, sandwiched between two very different problems they take a diversion down another corridor._

x

The Doctor directed them down corridors and through wards unable to lose their trailing slab, before pushing the two girls through the doors of the radiology room using the sonic to lock the door behind them as the slab continues to bang on the wood. The Doctor guided Martha behind the screen as Rose follows after, still keeping a wary eye on the door.

“When I say now, press the button.” The Doctor commanded, tension leaking into his voice, as he darted back behind the screen.

“But I don't know which one.” Martha argued.

The Doctor peeked back around at that.

“Then find out!”

The Doctor started messing with the x-ray machine while Martha looked at the many controls in confusion and panic. Rose grabbed the operator's manual from the shelf already knowing that’s what they need and flicked to the right page shoving the book over to Martha, not wanting to steal her thunder but trying to relieve some of her panic. If the grateful look she shoots her is anything to go by it seems she’d succeeded.

The slab outside was still battering at the door as its hinges slowly give way, Rose turned to the Doctor almost by instinct, despite already knowing the plan.

The door came crashing down causing Rose to redirect her attention to the slab that was now making its entrance. The Doctor already has the x-ray machine pointed at the doorway in preparation.

“Now!” The Doctor called and Martha’s hand descended onto the massive yellow button at the given instruction.

For a few moments, Rose was able to see the outline of both of their skeletons before the slab collapses from the massive dose of radiation. Martha turned the machine off and the Doctor slowly comes round to face the slab.

“What did you do?” Asked Martha.

“Increased the radiation by five thousand per cent. Killed him dead.” The Doctor answered nonchalantly.

“But isn't that going to kill you?”

“Nah, it's only roentgen radiation. We used to play with roentgen bricks in the nursery.”

“That sounds like one hell of a nursery.” Rose said, half teasing half concerned.

The Doctor grinned at her. 

“It's safe for you to come out. I've absorbed it all. All I need to do is expel it. If I concentrate, I can shake the radiation out of my body and into one spot.” The Doctor starts to do an odd sort of dance/jump on the spot and Rose can’t help the chuckle that escapes. “It's in my left shoe. Here we go, here we go. Easy does it. Out, out, out, out, out. Out, out. Ah, ah, ah, ah! It is, it is, it is, it is, it is hot. Hold on.”

The Doctor throws his new shoe into the bin.

“Done.”

“You're completely mad.”

“You get used to it.” Rose said with a shrug, still thoroughly amused.

“You're right. I look daft with one shoe.” Is the Doctor’s response.

The other red dap quickly follows the first and Rose can’t help but wonder what the point was in the new look.

“Barefoot on the moon.” The Doctor said with a snap of teeth as if that solved everything, Martha shook her head in disbelief.

Rose laughed at him again though that was closely followed by her nudging his shoulder as she was now close enough. The Doctor throws her another grin this one quickly followed with a wink. Which is why the fond smile that breaks out over Rose’s face was definitely not her fault, she poked him in the side before he sauntered over to the x-ray machine to retrieve his sonic screwdriver.

“If you two are quite finished, what is that thing? And where's it from, the planet Zovirax?”

“It's just a Slab. They're called Slabs. Basic slave drones. See? Solid leather, all the way through. Someone has got one hell of a fetish.”

“But it was that woman, Miss Finnegan. It was working for her, just like a servant.” 

Rose had her back to the Doctor as Martha described the woman she already knew they were after. Meanwhile, the Doctor pulled out what was left of his sonic, as it had been completely fried.

“My sonic screwdriver.” The Doctor whined.

Rose came and gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder.

“She was one of the patients, but-” Martha was interrupted.

“Oh, no. My sonic screwdriver.”

“You can build a new one when we get back to the TARDIS, yeah?”

“She had a straw like some kind of vampire.” Martha spoke up again and Rose was reminded that they were being awfully rude to the young woman.

“Yeah, but I loved my sonic screwdriver.”

“Doctor?” Martha tried to once again regain their attention.

“Stop pouting, you’re being rude.”

“Sorry.”

The Doctor finally turns back to Martha, throwing the remains of his screwdriver behind him, as he gave her his full attention. Rose rolled her eyes fondly at him before doing the same.

“You called me Doctor.” He grins. “She called me Doctor, Rose.”

Rose laughed at the childlike glee on his face, poking him in the side again. “Pay attention.”

“Anyway? Miss Finnegan is the alien. She was drinking Mister Stoker's blood.”

“Funny time to take a snack. You'd think she'd be hiding. Unless. No. Yes, that's it. Wait a minute. Yes! Shape-changer. Internal shape-changer. She wasn't drinking blood, she was assimilating it.” 

“Woulda known tha’ five minutes ago if you were listening.” Rose teased, tongue between teeth.

“I’m listening now.” He argued, trying to defend himself. “If she can assimilate Mister Stoker's blood, mimic the biology, she'll register as human. We've got to find her and show the Judoon. Come on!” Turning back to Martha to explain, before running out of the room again.

Rose rolled her eyes at the Doctor leaving without them again. She gave Martha an encouraging smile as they both follow after him.

x

“That's the thing about Slabs. They always travel in pairs.” The Doctor muttered as they hide behind a water cooler having spotted the other slab before it walked past them.

“What about you?” Martha asked.

“What about me what?”

“You said you two aren’t married, but you’re awfully close.”

“Oh. Humans. We're stuck on the moon running out of air with Judoon and a bloodsucking criminal, you're asking personal questions? Come on.” The Doctor deflected, moving away from the water cooler.

“I like that. Humans. I'm still not convinced you're an alien.”

“The radiation dance didn’t confirm that for you? Be glad its just humans, he used to be awfully fond of the phrase ‘stupid apes’.” Rose teased, standing up also.

They walk directly into a Judoon or rather the Doctor walks straight into their outstretched scanner.

“Non-human.”

“Oh my God, you really are.”

“And again.” The Doctor grabs Rose’s hand as he takes off running.

Rose reaches back to grab the still shocked Martha as she hears the Judoon reach for their weapons.

“Duck!” Rose called.

As they all narrowly miss the disintegrator beams that had been aimed at their heads.

“Excellent timing, Rose.”

“Excellent? We almost died!”

“Focus on the almost, now come on.” Rose called back to her, pulling her along.

The Judoon were still following them, their chain of hands quickly broke as they began to ascend the stairs. The Doctor waited until they were all on the ward with him before locking the door behind them manually, as he now no longer had the sonic screwdriver.

“They've done this floor. Come on. The Judoon are logical and just a little bit thick. They won't go back to check a floor they've checked already. If we're lucky.”

Patients were collapsing around them and Rose couldn’t help the guilt that swirled in her gut. Whoever this Finnigan woman was Rose didn’t care if she was innocent of her crimes she was willing to let thousands of already sick and suffering people die for her.

The junior nurse from before was crouched on the floor giving oxygen to a patient. She may not have been companion material but she was still a compassionate woman and Rose knew she’d make an excellent doctor one day.

Martha stopped at the sight of her colleague, her own doctor mood activated while the Doctor marched on. Rose tugged him to a stop, the Doctor looked at her in confusion as she nodded at the women getting him to finally look instead of soldiering on. She knew it was difficult to face but they had to, this was what they were fighting for, all these people.

“How much oxygen is there?” Martha asked.

“Not enough for all these people. We're going to run out.” Her fear from before pushed to the back as she focused on her patients.

“How are you two feeling? Are you alright?”

“I'm running on adrenaline.”

“Eh, I’ve felt worse.” Rose grinned trying to dispel some of the Doctor’s worry with their usual banter.

“Welcome to my world.”

“What about the Judoon?” Now that was something Rose hadn’t considered, Martha really did ask all the right questions.

“Nah, great big lung reserves. It won't slow them down. Where's Mister Stoker's office?”

“It's this way.” Martha said getting up with a pant and leading the way.

The Doctor went through first cautiously, worried she’d still be inside. Martha followed closely behind. While Rose lingered in the corridor not quite ready to face the sight of the man’s body just yet.

“She's gone. She was here.”

Rose finally entered the room staying closer to the doorway mainly out of sight of the body of poor old Mr Stoker.

“Drained him dry. Every last drop. I was right. She's a Plasmavore.”

Just the word seemed to set off a sort of ringing inside Rose’s head. She bit back a wince, unable to tell if she’d been successful or not, she hoped it would be assumed to do with the body in the room rather than anything else if she had not been.

“What's she doing on Earth, Doctor?” Rose asked because that was the one thing she hadn’t been able to figure out from those damn images.

“Hiding. On the run. Like Ronald Biggs in Rio de Janeiro. What's she doing now? She's still not safe. The Judoon could execute us all. Come on.” The Doctor rambled before getting up he was already up and by the door - he’d grabbed Rose’s hand in the process hoping to comfort her, she’d given a weak smile in response - when Martha stopped him.

“Wait a minute.”

Martha bent down to close Stoker's eyes in a move of compassion that seemed to come very naturally for the young doctor. 

Together they exited the office crowding the corridor as the Doctor tried to figure out his next plan of action before everyone suffocated to death. There’d been enough death today. The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck with his spare hand as he rambled to himself.

“Think, think, think. If I was a Plasmavore surrounded by police, what would I do?”

He spotted the sign to the MRI on the wall opposite him as he’s hit by the realisation of what the Plasmavore had planned.

“Ah. She's as clever as me. Almost.”

“That’s high praise coming from you.” Rose teased.

Martha looked about herself still in confusion. However, they’re all pulled from their thoughts by the Judoon crashing through the doors at the end of the corridor, the sound of patients screaming followed not long after.

“Find the non-human. Execute.”

The Doctor looked torn for a second as he stared at the approaching Judoon. And Rose is reminded of her vision from earlier of the Doctor kissing Martha. And unfortunately, she couldn’t help the flare of jealousy she feels at the reminder and makes a selfish decision right there and then.

“Go. Go stop Miss Finnigan we’ll distract the Judoon.”

The Doctor still faltered.

“Go! We’ll be fine but you’ve got to stop her before the Judoon kill you or sentence the hospital to execution, yeah?”

That seemed to convince him as he took a couple of steps towards the MRI room but he still doesn’t leave.

“Be careful!”

“As long as you don’t do anything stupid!” She called back to him with a smile that she knew was too weak to be comforting, but just knowing what his plan was, no matter that he survived it, put her ill at ease.

But it seemed to suffice for the Doctor as he finally darted away and Rose let out a sigh of relief.

“What the hell are we going to do?” Martha cried, bringing Rose back into the present.

“Just trust me, yeah? And don’t tell the Doctor.”

“Okay, but what are you going to do?” Still looking slightly worried.

“Something stupid.” If the Doctor was going to be reckless she could hardly be faulted for doing the same, though she doubted her plan would work, she was still human after all. Wasn’t she? Only one way to find outs she supposed.

Edging backwards slightly to give them more time. Martha seemed to be panicking as the Judoon march towards them. She began to ramble, the first traces of fear causing a slight tremble in her words.

“Now listen, I know who you're looking for. She's this woman. She calls herself Florence.”

The Judoon pointed the scanner at Martha and a flicker of fear passed across her face. Rose squeezed the woman’s hand reassuringly.

“Human.” The Judoon announced briskly before shifting to face Rose.

Rose held her head up with faux confidence as they scanned her.

“Human.” They paused. “Wait. Non-human traits suspected. Non-human element confirmed. Authorise full scan.” They pushed Rose against the wall and she could hear Martha gasp from behind her as Rose allowed herself to wear the fear she couldn’t help but feel. “What are you? What are you?”

“Confirm human. Minor chronon mutation. Continue the search for the non-human.”

Rose sagged in relief as the Judoon confirmed their analysis while Martha was still staring at her worriedly. A big cross was drawn against the back of her hand as she was handed a small booklet with illegible writing she didn’t recognise.

“You will need this.”

“What's tha’ for?”

“Compensation.”

“Right.” She tucked the booklet into her back pocket. “The non-human went this way.” She called dragging them down the corridor to the MRI room.

Rose burst into the room with the Judoon marching behind her as Martha also followed a slight distance behind. Miss Finnigan dropped the Doctor’s body onto the floor stuffing her straw away as she scrambled away from the Doctor’s now limp body. Rose rushed forward cradling the Doctor’s head in her lap as she glared up at the woman.

“What have you done?” Rose accused.

“This poor man just died of fright.”

“Scan him. Confirmation. Deceased.”

Martha ran through at that moment.

“No, he can't be. Let me through. Let me see him.”

“Stop. Case closed.”

“But it was her. She killed him. She did it. She murdered him.”

“Judoon have no authority over human crime.”

“But she's not human.” Martha said pleading with them to listen to her, to believe her.

“Oh, but I am. I've been catalogued.” Florence said smugly.

“But she's not! She assimi-” She paused finally understanding what the Doctor’s plan had been, she looked to Rose for confirmation, and despite her thunderous expression she nodded at the unspoken question. “Wait a minute. You drank his blood? The Doctor's blood?” 

Martha grabbed one of the Judoon’s scanners pointing it at Florence.

“Oh, I don't mind. Scan all you like.”

“Non-human.” The Judoon declared and finally, the smug facade dropped and Rose smirked despite her worry.

“But, what?”

“Confirm analysis.” The rest of the Judoon withdrew their scanners.

“Oh, but it's a mistake, surely. I'm human. I'm as human as they come.” The Plasmavore rambled in her panic.

“He gave his life so they'd find you.”

“Confirm. Plasmavore, charged with the crime of murdering the child princess of Patrival Regency Nine.”

“Well, she deserved it! Those pink cheeks and those blonde curls and that simpering voice. She was begging for the bite of a Plasmavore.” Rose’s hatred for the woman increased ten-fold at her proud confession of murdering a child.

“Then you confess?”

“Confess? I'm proud of it! Slab, stop them!”

Florence ducked behind the slab to the MRI controls as she made her demands. The slab stepped forward as instructed but was rendered to dust in seconds by the Judoon’s weapons. 

“Verdict, guilty. Sentence, execution.”

Miss Finnigan connected one last plug and the machine made a startling noise as it warned of a magnetic overload. Rose noticed that Martha had ducked behind the Judoon as they fired up their weapons.

“Enjoy your victory, Judoon, because you're going to burn with me. Burn in hell!”

The Plasmavore received the same fate as her last remaining slab. Martha crawled forward to the Doctor once it was safe. Florence’s words still ringing in all of their ears. Rose moved out from under the Doctor satisfied that Martha would stay with him.

“Case closed.”

“But what did she mean, burn with me? The scanner shouldn't be doing that. She's done something.”

The Judoon scanned the MRI machine.

“Scans detect lethal acceleration of monomagnetic pulse.”

“Well, do something! Stop it!”

“Our jurisdiction has ended. Judoon will evacuate.”

“What?” Martha shouted, outraged.

“You can't just leave it, there are a thousand people in this hospital ‘cause you brought them here!” Rose bellowed.

“What's it going to do?” Martha asked.

“All units withdraw.” Who Rose assumed was the leader, ordered into their communication device.

Rose scrambled to her feet as they flee, yelling after them.

“You can't go! That thing's going to explode and it's your fault!”

She felt slightly calmer once she returned to the room but she was still bristling with far too many emotions to stay still right now.

“Martha start CPR on the Doctor, he’s got two hearts, one on each side.”

“What? You’re not serious.”

“I am, now get on with it, I’m going to try and stop the scanner.” She answered back sharper than she intended to the young woman who had been absolutely brilliant despite everything. “Sorry but please, he may be our only way out of here.”

Martha nodded and started the compressions as Rose made her way over to the scanner. She looked down at the two plugs and tried to remember which she saw Florence use to set off the overload. In the panic, she hadn’t been paying close enough attention and in her memory, the two colours had blurred together. Casting a look back at Martha, satisfied that she was occupied, she pressed her fingers to her temples and she shut her eyes as she tried to call upon that power she’d felt earlier. Frustrated when nothing happened, she began to plead quietly, almost as if to herself.

“Come on, please I know you said not to, but just one quick look. Please, old girl. I need your help.”

She took a quick peek when nothing seemed to happen, only to find her arms glowing in the soft golden light of before and the word ‘ _red’_ drifted softly across her mind in a voice that most certainly wasn’t her own. Grinning to herself, she pulled the red plug apart as the Doctor suddenly spluttered behind her. She jumped back with a shout when the plugs sparked, but thankfully the machine’s hum had died down and her skin was back to normal.

She sagged against the controls the adrenaline slowly leaving her as she realised just how little air they must have left as she panted to herself. Rose looked up to see the Doctor looking at her in shock she gave him a tired smile as he dove forward.

“Rose Tyler you are brilliant.”

“So was she.” Rose gasped as she nodded towards the unconscious Martha. “Doctor the air.”

“Come on.” The Doctor said tugging her up by the hand, he went to scoop Martha up before leading them over to a window.

Rose leant against the Doctor the slightest of exertion too much for her.

“Come on, come on, come on, come on, please. Come on, Judoon, reverse it.” The Doctor pleaded jumping up and down on the balls of his feet.

It started to rain and slowly the Doctor grinned beside her.

“It's raining, Rose and Martha. It's raining on the moon.”

Rose gave a feeble smile as her legs buckled, the use of Bad Wolf and the lack of oxygen finally getting to her. There was a flash of lightning but Rose misses it as she fell into oblivion and the hospital returned to it’s home.

x

Medical staff, media, family and friends swarmed the hospital all trying to get to the survivors, each for a different reason. The Doctor slipped away to the TARDIS with an unconscious Rose once he was sure Martha was safe. He left Rose in the med-bay with an oxygen mask on before having the TARDIS disappear from the scene, no need to add more fuel to the fire.

Rose was sitting up when he got back. She went to pull the mask off but he rushed forward and tugged into back into place. She pouted at him from behind the mask.

“Slight oxygen starvation, best leave on for a minute.”

Rose mumbled something at him that he couldn’t quite understand.

“Nope. Sorry, you’re just going to have to wait.” He grinned at her.

Rose rolled her eyes but tugged the mask off anyway.

“Can’t believe I’m back in here again. I hate hospitals.” The Doctor tried unsuccessfully to put the mask back on while Rose just swatted at his hands. “Doctor I’m fine, really.” The Doctor seemed to finally accept that she was not going to give in, and relented. “What happened to Martha?”

“Back at the hospital, she’s fine. Got her brother’s party tonight, hasn’t she?” The Doctor answered nonchalantly, avoiding Rose’s gaze.

Rose narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, before sighing.

“You didn’t say goodbye, did you?”

“Well...” He trailed off rubbing at his neck awkwardly.

Rose rolled her eyes at him, hopping off the medical table.

“She saved your life, you should at least say thank you.” She said as she trailed out of the room.

“Where are you going?”

“Console room.” She called over her shoulder as she disappeared down the corridor.

Rose heard the tell-tale slap of the Doctor’s daps on the floor as he followed after her, clearly, he’d gone and found another pair after his stunt in the radiology room.

“What for?” He asked having caught up with Rose who was now sat on the captain’s chair waiting for him.

“Come on she was brilliant, you should invite her along. At least to say thank you. Plus she saw us this morning so there’s also that circular paradox to deal with.”

The Doctor’s mouth opened and closed a few times as if he were going to argue but when he obviously drew up a blank he gave up on the excuses and started the dematerialisation sequence.

“I hate when you’re right.” He mumbled pointlessly. “Though I suppose it’s a good job you remembered that little circular paradox because you haven’t eaten anything to do. Ended up on the moon at lunchtime.”

“No, you don’t.” Rose teased, giving him her signature tongue in teeth smile she knew he secretly loved. “And thank god, I was getting really sick of hospital food.”

“We’re here. Do you want to do the honours?”

“Sure you got the right time? It's not accidentally been a year or anything?”

“Oi. That happened once.”

“Well…”

“Out you go. Go and find Martha.” He said opening the doors pushing a laughing Rose out. “Minx.” He muttered under his breath.

Rose skipped to the end of the alley they’d landed in still grinning to herself when she heard a woman going on about drugged people believing they’d gone to the moon.

The Doctor appeared at her side just in time to also catch that part of the argument.

“Told you I got it right.” He whispered in her ear.

“This time.” She teased.

She went to say something else but the Doctor put a finger to his lips and shushed her, whether because he thought they were going to get spotted being total creeps on a dark street corner or because his ego couldn’t take any more teasing. Rose couldn’t be certain but with a roll of her eyes, she did keep quiet, turning back to the bickering family.

Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea.

It was really just driving home just how much she missed her mum and Mickey. She couldn’t even argue with them about the little things, it was weird how that worked. Of course, she missed the good stuff too but now she didn’t even have the bad stuff and the scene before her, was really driving that home.

Rose was pulled from her thoughts by the Doctor nudging her.

“You okay?” 

“What happened to being quiet?” She teased, but when the worried look didn’t fade she settled on a more serious expression. “I’m fine, I’ll be even better when you go buy me some chips.”

“Oh I’m buying them now, am I?”

“Yep.” She grinned popping the ‘p’ before copying the Doctor’s shushing motion from before and turning back to the street before them.

As the last of the family members disappeared into the night Martha was left alone outside the pub staring off after them with a sigh. It took a couple of seconds for her to notice them there but when she did, Rose beckoned her over before they sunk back into the alley towards the TARDIS.

Moments later the sound of heels could be heard clicking on the cobblestones before Martha appeared in the mouth of the alley with a smile.

“I went to the moon today.”

“A bit more peaceful than down here.”

“You never even told me who you are.”

“The Doctor.”

“What sort of species? It's not every day I get to ask that.”

“I'm a Time Lord.”

“Right! Not pompous at all, then.”

Rose laughed at that, she’d never really thought about that particular aspect she kind of forgot amidst the lectures of superior biology.

“She’s got a point.”

This time it was the Doctor who poked Rose in the ribs.

“Behave.” He muttered to Rose before turning back to Martha. “I just thought since you saved my life and I've got a brand new sonic screwdriver which needs road testing, you might fancy a trip.”

“What, into space?” Martha asked dubiously.

“Well…”

“But I can't. I've got exams. I've got things to do. I have to go into town first thing and pay the rent, I've got my family going mad.”

As Martha listed off all the things she had to do Rose couldn’t help but feel glad she didn’t have those kind of concerns anymore.

“If it helps, he can travel in time as well. Don’t know why he doesn’t ever start with that.” Rose said with a roll of her eyes.

“Where’s the fun in that?” The Doctor answered Rose.

“Get out of here.” Martha said in disbelief.

“I can.”

“Come on now, that's going too far.”

“I'll prove it.” The Doctor said slipping inside the TARDIS.

“See in a second, you’re gonna love this bit.” Rose said before disappearing inside too.

“Right.” The Doctor declared. “Let’s go get you those chips. Where did Martha say we saw her?”

“Chancellor street.”

“Right then off we go.” 

The Doctor began his usual dance around the console, Rose smiled to herself at the sight it’d been a while since he’d done so so exuberantly, it hadn’t been the easiest of weeks after all. Rose clung to the railings by the TARDIS doors with a laugh at a particularly strong lurch. When they finally came to a stop.

“Oh, money.” The Doctor said patting down his pockets but Rose had already opened the doors.

“Should still have the money from when we saw Donna and if not I’m sure we can find a cashpoint ‘cause I don’t have anything. No job me, and I can’t pinch any off of mum anymore.”

“Good point.” He rummaged through his numerous pockets before he pulled out a tenner from their trip with Donna when he suddenly groaned. “Does that mean I’m going to need to start carrying around Earth currency, I hate Earth money.”

He heard Rose laugh from outside the TARDIS doors at his whinging, it was a conversation they’d had before after all.

“You never have any money when we go into the past so I don’t see wha’ difference it’d make.”

“Yeah but I have a bad habit of ending up in present-day London, well present for you anyway.”

“Chips first, plan currency later.” Rose said adamantly looping her arm through the Doctor’s as she dragged him towards the nearest chippy.

The second problem occurred when it came to locating Martha amongst the morning crowd. Thankfully the Doctor had an advantage with his height and was able to spot her after a while. Worried about the time frame of the paradox, they quickly made their way over.

“Morning, you want any chips? Long day and all that?” Rose asked the slightly younger Martha trying to make it seem a little less weird than it was, but most likely failing.

“Um, no thanks.” Martha said slowly as if she wasn’t quite sure if Rose was sane or not, which was fair enough all things considered.

“Suit yourself.” The Doctor said, taking Rose’s hand and heading back to the TARDIS. “And back again.”

They opened the doors back to the alley they’d been in only moments before to see a very stunned Martha stood back against the bins. The two of them stood in the doorway watching her in amusement.

“Sure, you don’t want one? They’re still hot.”

“No, but, that was this morning. Did you? Oh, my God. You can travel in time.”

The Doctor pinched one of Rose’s chips while Martha got over the whole time travel thing.

“Oi!” Rose protested, but he simply grinned and tried to grab another one while Rose struggled to keep the bag out of his reach which was far more difficult than it should have been. The lanky git.

“But hold on. If you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go into work?” The two of them focused back on Martha and the Doctor used that distraction to pinch another chip for which he got an elbow to the ribs.

“Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden. Except for cheap tricks.” The Doctor explained munching on his pilfered chip.

“And that's your spaceship?”

“It's called the Tardis. Time and Relative Dimension in Space.”

“Your spaceship's made of wood. There's not much room. It’s a bit intimate, I mean you two barely even fit in the doorway.”

“We’d fit a lot better if he stopped nicking my chips.”

“I paid for them.”

“Hardly counts.”

“Take a look inside.” The Doctor finally answered Martha as they stepped out of the doorway. 

“No, no, no.” Martha muttered before darting back outside. “But it's just a box. But it's huge.” She started circling the TARDIS before coming back inside. “How does it do that? It's wood. It's like a box with that room just rammed in. It's bigger on the inside.”

Rose watched the Doctor mouth the last bit at the same time as Martha and bit back a laugh.

“Is it? I hadn't noticed.” The Doctor said sarcastically.

Rose followed the Doctor up the ramp.

“You love that bit.”

“It’s the best bit.” He defended.

“Right then, let's get going.” He said louder this time so Martha could hear him too.

“But is there a crew, like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone? Can’t be just you two.”

“Just us.”

“Just you two, on your own?” 

“Yeah, that’s how I like it. Now. Just one trip to say thanks. You get one trip, then back home.”

“Then back home.” Martha repeated.

“Good. Well, then. Close down the gravitic anomaliser, fire up the helmic regulator. And finally, the hand brake.” 

Rose didn’t miss the wistful glance Martha shot at the grating as the Doctor rambled on. She couldn’t help but feel guilty that the Doctor kept reinforcing the idea that it was just one trip as it had been her idea in the first place but she’d seen the other timeline and she’d tried to follow it as closely as possible but maybe she’d just made things worse.

“Ready?” The Doctor asked.

“No.”

“Off we go.”

As the Doctor threw the dematerialisation leaver the TARDIS gave a massive jolt throwing about her occupants so that they had to hang on for dear life. Rose sent a stray thought to the TARDIS, wondering what the hell her problem was.

“Blimey, it's a bit bumpy.”

“Welcome aboard, Miss Jones.”

“It's my pleasure, Mister Smith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: ITS DONE! Wow finally I put this chapter off for ages even tweaked the previous chapters in lieu of procrastinating this one. Thankfully I already started the next one during my period of procrastination. Anyway I hope this answered some of your guys’ questions about Bad Wolf as well as the doctor and martha kiss as i got a few questions about that. When I was thinking about the plot for this book I realised a lot of what I want to happen would have to wait until later episodes so I may end up moving a couple around to help with the pacing sorry  
> Anyway let me know your thoughts in the comments :)


	5. Ex: Getting Back to Normal.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and the Doctor go sightseeing while their newest companion sleeps on the TARDIS.

**Chapter Five:** Getting Back to Normal.  
**Series:** Three.  
**Episode:** Extras: Post - Smith and Jones.   


Rose returned to the console room after showing Martha to the bedroom the TARDIS had prepared for her.

The Doctor had been eager to get to their next adventure but Rose had stepped in to remind him that the humans needed to sleep, especially after such a long day. Martha had shot Rose a grateful look and Rose felt the last traces of tension leave her, she may not have known Martha in the original timeline, but perhaps this time around they could be friends. They were going to be living together after all.

The Doctor was aimlessly fiddling with the controls upon her return. Rose stood in the doorway for a moment, simply observing.  

It was their first adventure since saying goodbye to Donna - their first voluntary adventure since Rose had said goodbye to her mother - and it'd been interesting, to say the least. She'd largely been trying to ignore the significance of it all throughout the day. The first Christmas without her mother and she didn't even get to celebrate it. They'd spent the day chasing after Donna, trying to understand how it came to be that she'd ended up in the TARDIS in the first place and then she'd ended up unconscious for the rest of it. In a way, she was glad that she hadn't had the time to actually acknowledge the fact.

The Doctor spotted her in the doorway, his voice pulling her from her thoughts, as she registered his words.

"Martha find a room all right?"

"Yep, she's all tucked in ready for tomorrow's trip." The Doctor nodded in acknowledgement, but his focus remained on the controls in front of him. "I forgot to ask, what's with the new suit?"

Although he’d changed back into the brown suit before they’d picked Martha up, she still couldn’t help but wonder. He hadn’t worn any other suit but the brown since he’d first chosen it after regenerating. With the exception for the odd occasion when he pulled the black tuxedo out.

The Doctor's gaze flickered up to hers at the question, but it fell as he thought of how best to respond.

"Uh, blue was the colour of-" He reached across the console to flick a group of switches, effectively putting his back to Rose as he spoke. "it was the uh colour of mourning on Gallifrey. In respect to your mum, I guess." He shrugged aiming for nonchalant.

Rose smiled at his back. She knew mum and the Doctor hadn't gotten along when they'd first met but things had been different since the incident with the Slitheen in downing street and especially in this regeneration. He’d become one of the Tylers whether he liked it or not. She just knew his last self would have bristled at the sight of how domestic this Doctor could be sometimes.

But she also knew that her war-battered Doctor in leather had craved the kind of acceptance that only came with being family. He’d lost everything. And yet sometimes she found herself hoping she had helped ease some of the suffering his hearts. She was not naive enough to think she could save him, she was just a girl off of the Estates after all. But Rose hoped she’d proved by now that she was always going to be there for him, whether he believed he deserved it or not.

While she’d only picked up bits and pieces about the Doctor’s home planet and it’s cultures in the time she’d been travelling with him, she knew what it had come to mean to him. So it warmed her heart to know he’d chosen to share this part of his world with her. But Rose also knew this to be the Doctor’s own way of coping with his loss. His planet’s culture and rituals survived solely through him and she was not about to let him feel insecure about sharing that part of himself in his own home.

She joined him at the console. Looping her arm through his, she rested her head against his arm.

“Thank you.” Her tone hinting at all the things she wasn’t saying. “I loved the suit by the way but did you really have to chuck your shoes away?”

He rubbed the back of his neck at her teasing.

“Probably not, was a bit busy. Though I should probably find some more if I’m going to wear the blue one more often.”

He looked down at her thoughtfully for a second, Rose peered back up at him, letting his train of thought run its course.

“Shouldn’t you be getting some rest too? Been a busy day after all.”

“Nah, couldn’t sleep if I wanted to. Been stuck in bed for what feels like months now and I’ve missed this, still running on adrenaline it feels like.”

“Well, I suppose we could…” He trailed off as a grin grew on Rose’s lips, she knew what that look meant. “Always go on a quick trip while Martha’s still sleeping.”

“If you think you can land us without waking her up.” Her words a challenge as she grinned up at him, tongue between teeth.

A challenge the Doctor couldn’t help but rise to.

“Ten quid says I can.”

“You still owe me from Queen Vic so we’d be even if you can manage it.”

“You’re on, Rose Tyler.”

Rose took a step back grabbing hold of the railing as the Doctor began his dance around the console. She laughed as the TARDIS threw him back onto the grating, he gave her a half-hearted glare before continuing to throw levers and press buttons and switches. They landed with a fairly gentle thud considering how badly they’d been thrown about on previous trips.

The Doctor dashed for the door, moving before the  TARDIS had even finished settling,  grabbing his coat as he went. Rose ran after him without missing a beat grabbing the new blue leather jacket the TARDIS had left her. She shot a quick thanks towards the ceiling before shutting the doors behind her.

She was still pulling her jacket on as she gazed at the sight before her. The soil was an icy blue colour from which several of the domed huts seemed to have also been built of, they probably blended right in with their surroundings from a distance. Rows of large buildings made of glistening white bricks stood before the blue huts, each seemed to be displaying different types of items in their windows. Shops, Rose reasoned. There was little in the way of vegetation in the particular area they’d landed in.

“Where are we?”

“The planet Krevaar. Previously a favourite tourist spot of the inhabitants of Raxacoricofallapatorius. It was best known for its vast markets and mountains, it’s garnered a rather unsavoury reputation due to the Slitheen family doing business here illegally. Making it the perfect place to come for a quiet day of shopping, unlikely to run into any tourists here.”

Rose listen to the Doctor’s lecture on the planet with her usual smile and enthusiasm.

“We’ve come to get you new shoes, haven’t we?”

“Yes.” Rose laughed at his admission. “But there’s plenty to do here and the locals are rather friendly, we shouldn’t run into any bother.”

“Friendly like the polyamourous Javaats, who will marry anyone who looks at them. Or friendly like an Ood?” She questioned.

“Well not quite like either of those. But! Point is we shouldn’t be at risk of running for our lives. Now come on let's have a look around.”

The Doctor grabbed her hand and they ran towards the little shops, carefully zig-zagging out of the way of locals in a manoeuvre that only years of practice could perfect.

The Doctor managed to find some new red daps that were surprisingly a perfect match to the ones he’d lost on the moon before disappearing into a shop filled with mechanical parts with almost childlike glee. Rose picked out some new exotic teas, some heels that were apparently adapted for running, a basket of fuzzy purple kiwi-like fruits that she’d tried once before with the credit stick the Doctor had procured.

She always enjoyed little markets and shopping strips such as this, it was the perfect place to observe the culture of the locals without getting too many suspicious glares, looking for all the world as if she was simply browsing the wares displayed before her.

Though she and the Doctor often ended up separating for these trips, their differing interests drawing them to different shops. And Rose had learnt early on that it was best to leave the Doctor to his scavenging if she wanted to avoid a lecture on each of the individual parts he’d found. Because while she loved the sound of the Doctor’s voice and the enthusiasm with which he delivered each fact, she’d never had much of a mind for the more technical side of things that came with the travelling.  

She was wandering through the aisles of shops as she wondered which to enter next when a group of small children ran up to her to convince her to join their game having seen that she’d finished with her purchasing. And while she didn’t often find herself in situations such as this, it did happen. Especially on planets where her blonde hair was unusual and exotic.

And it was this particular thought that had her spotting the differences between her and the locals surrounding her. Because the Doctor had been right, while tourism had clearly once been a staple for this town it was pretty lacking at the moment. Rose only having spotted three other individuals that didn’t quite fit in just as herself of the Doctor.

The adult locals she’d seen were humanoid that were lilac in colour with big dark glittering almost bug-like eyes, thin stripes fanning out from around their eyes in a slightly warmer purple and with eight short fingers on each hand. While the children before her were still a light cornflower blue with the older among them being a shade less blue and a tad more purple.

When she’d agreed they’d dragged her towards a small field past the white shops and behind the blue domes with tall grass that was almost a perfect match to the children’s blue skin. They made her count as they hid in the tall grass. Rose had always found it fascinating which games seemed to be universal as well as the more bizarre ones she’d never encountered before.

So there she stood, back to the towering blue grass counting to herself. Before she remembered the instructions she been left with by one of the older children. It seemed she’d found herself playing a game of hide and seek in which the children had the advantage of near-perfect camouflage.

And that was how the Doctor found her once he’d reemerged with far more parts than he needed quite some time later. Chasing small giggling children through the grass as they attempted to evade her capture. When one of the children that had been hiding up a twisted tree jumped down onto her back causing her to trip and soon the rest of the children dog-piled on top with a victorious cheer while Rose giggled from beneath them.

“Sorry guys but I need to take this one back home.” The Doctor said as he stepped through the long grass to give Rose a hand up.

A series of groans punctuated the air at that.

“But we defeated the mighty beast.” One of the youngest clamoured.

“Does she have to go? No one else will play with us they’re too busy with the feast.”

“And what feast is that then?” The Doctor asked as Rose dusted herself off.

“The feast of Solude. To celebrate the last days of summer before we go underground.”

Realisation dawned upon the Doctor and Rose realised that this was one cultural tradition that had completely slipped his mind. It was bound to happen every now and again, Timelord brain or not, he couldn’t remember everything no matter how he boasted the opposite. It happened.

The Doctor chanced a glance down at Rose, suddenly unsure if they should leave but also not quite willing to leave.

“We were just going to do a bit of shopping but I suppose…” He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly having come to a decision as his curiosity got the better of him. “If it’s okay with Rose?”

Rose looked down at the eager and pleading faces of the children. It would be just too easy to agree, but if this was a tradition on their planet, outsiders might not be welcome. It had gotten them into a spot of bother several times before after all.

“We’d love to.” The children started to jump about excitedly. “But we should check to see if we’re actually invited first.” She said pointedly to the Doctor.

“Right you are, Rose.”

* * *

 

And that was how they ended up getting chased off of Krevaar and banned for the foreseeable future.

The Doctor and Rose leant back against the closed TARDIS doors panting before they slowly dissolved into laughter. Hadn’t the Doctor said they wouldn’t end up running into any trouble and yet here they were. How very typical of them.

The Doctor pushed off from the doors as he began the dematerialisation sequence. Rose watched him with a smile, not moving away from the doors as the TARDIS jolted twice before stabilising in the vortex.

She’d let the Doctor take the lead with the locals and he had somehow ended up invoking their wrath. It was probably his passing remark about the Slitheen though, that really set the locals off.

“There we go. Safe and sound inside the vortex, far from any angry locals.”

“I’m starting to think that’s it the calm that’s the bits in between rather than the trouble. You seem to have a penchant for finding trouble anywhere.” Rose said with a tongue touched grin as she pushed off from the doors up the grating.

The Doctor scoffed.

“You’re one to talk Miss Jeopardy Friendly.” He said pointing an accusing finger at her.

“I guess we’re just as bad as each other then.” 

“So it would seem.” His smile faded replaced by a far more serious expression as he regarded her. “Are you alright? After everything at the hospital and bringing along a new companion you must be exhausted.”

“I’m okay, Doctor. Though I should probably get some rest before we take Martha out tomorrow.” She started walking backwards towards the corridor off of the console room. “Any idea where we’re going?”

“Ah ah. It’s going to be a surprise.”

“Oh come on. Not even a hint?” She grinned, daring him to change his mind.

“Nope nope nope. Go on off to bed with you Rose Tyler.”

“Okay okay.” She laughed. “But at least answer this, past or future? I really don’t want another incident like Queen Victoria.”

“Hmm, let's see. Your first trip was future, let's try past for Martha.”

“Think you can actually get us there?” She teased frozen in the doorway.

“Oi. That’s enough out of you, you’re clearly sleep-deprived off you go.”

Rose laughed before spinning around and heading down the corridor, her purchases bumping against her leg as she did so.

“Night, Doctor.” She called back to him.

“There is no such thing as night on the TARDIS, Rose.”

“Good _ night _ , Doctor.” She repeated with a chuckle.

“Goodnight, Rose.” He said softly into the now empty console room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just a short sort of fluffy interlude before the next episode. Would you like more chapters like this or nah?  
> Anyway, let me know your thoughts in the comments :)


End file.
